Heather’s demeanor shifted from shock to something unreadable—was it resignation or defiance? Her eyes, usually warm and open, were now guarded, as if she was weighing her options.

The investigator, a seasoned woman named Officer Ramirez, cleared her throat. “Heather, do you know how these bruises might have occurred?”

Heather hesitated, glancing at James and me. There was a flicker of something in her eyes—fear? Guilt? It was hard to tell. She finally said, “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated?” I repeated, my voice rising. “Heather, this is your daughter. What aren’t you telling us?”

She swallowed hard, her gaze darting to the floor. “I’ve been under a lot of stress lately…”

Officer Ramirez raised an eyebrow. “Stress can explain a lot of things, but these bruises are concerning. Emery is just a baby.”

Heather shifted her weight, her hands twisting together. “I didn’t hurt her,” she said quietly, but her voice wavered.

James stepped forward, his expression a mix of disbelief and anger. “Heather, if you know something, you need to tell us. Emery’s safety is the most important thing right now.”

Heather nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I know. I know.” She took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “There’s someone I’ve been seeing. I didn’t realize… I didn’t think he’d…”

The room seemed to freeze. Heather’s words hung in the air, a revelation that none of us were prepared for.

“Who?” I asked, my voice steadying as I realized the gravity of the situation.

“A man I met a few months ago,” Heather admitted, her voice cracking. “We weren’t serious, but he was around a lot. I thought he was good with Emery… I never thought he could hurt her.”

Officer Ramirez’s expression softened slightly, but her tone remained firm. “Heather, we need to know everything about this man. His name, where we can find him.”

Heather nodded, wiping her eyes. “His name is Colin. He’s… he’s not who I thought he was.”

As the investigator took down the details, James wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close. Lila, now sitting quietly on the couch, looked at us with wide, worried eyes.

“It’s going to be okay,” James whispered, more to convince himself than anyone else.

But as Heather continued to explain, the weight of the situation settled heavily on us all. It was a sobering realization that the world wasn’t as safe as we had believed, even within our own family.

And as the authorities worked to find the man who had hurt Emery, I held onto the hope that this nightmare would soon be over—that Emery would be safe, and that Heather would find the strength to protect her daughter at all costs.