Dorothy sat on the living room floor, rolling a ball to Kylee. The baby grabbed it with both hands and brought it to her mouth, drool pooling on her chin.
“Everything goes in the mouth now,” Dorothy said as Jake walked in from work.
“Hey! There’s my girl!” Jake dropped his briefcase and scooped Kylee up, making airplane noises as he lifted her over his head. She squealed with delight.
Dorothy watched them, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. This was her life now. Her family. The trial was over, Maya was sentenced, the investigation was closed. For the first time in months, Dorothy felt like she could actually breathe without that constant tightness in her chest.
The news had stopped covering the case. Detective Chen had moved on to other investigations. Andrea Martinez was pres
