The basement is silent for maybe a minute as Janet tries to collect herself. “I’m sorry,” she says. “Don’t like to cry in front of the children. Don’t like to show weakness around them. With everything that’s happened, they need me to be the strong one now, more than ever.”
“You don’t have to tell me all the details, Janet. I know it’s hard.”
“It’s all right. Need to tell someone. Got no one else to tell.” She sniffs loudly and then lets out a long sigh. “Sophie thought her daddy was just sitting against the wall. And then…” Janet covers her face with her hand, clearly holding back her anguish.
I almost feel sorry for her.
“So why didn’t you take her straight to the hospital?” I ask. “Surely you had time with her?”
“There was no hope with Sophie. Malcolm had bitten her legs so deep, t
