(Caroline's POV)
I'm frozen with terror and rage and maternal instinct. Every fiber of my being screams at me to jump Helen. To tackle her and wrench that knife out of her hand. To get Charlie away from her and this nightmare.
But Jason grabs my arm, holding me back.
"Caroline," he whispers. "Don't."
His presence by my side calms me down somewhat. But only barely.
"Helen." Jason's voice is calm. Controlled. "Let him go. We'll give you whatever you want. But you need to let Charlie go first."
Helen laughs.
It's bitter and sounds a bit wacko, as if she's lost her mental stability.
"What I want?" She takes a step closer to Charlie's chair. "I wanted my family back. I wanted my daughter. I wanted my life."
Her voice cracks on the last word.
"But you took all of it."
"We didn't take
