Chapter 5 - WHAT MOM SAID AFTER WE LEFTMegan's video shook slightly as she lowered her phone.
Our faces disappeared.
The audio remained clear.
Mom spoke first.
"Lauren, what is wrong with you?"
For half a second, relief flooded me.
Then Lauren answered.
"Oh, please. Emma is fine."
Mom's voice hardened.
"I told you not to do that in front of James."
I froze.
James didn't move.
On the recording, Dad said:
"Margaret."
Mom snapped:
"What? I'm not defending it. I'm saying she should know better."
Lauren laughed.
"Claire babies that kid. Somebody has to toughen her up."
Then Mom said the sentence that would haunt me.
"Not while James is home."
The recording ended.
I stared at the phone.
"Not while James is home."
James sat beside me.
"Claire."
"That means she knew."
"It means she knew enough to hide something."
I called Mom.
"What did you mean?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I have video."
Silence.
"Did Lauren hit Emma before?"
"No."
Too fast.
"Did she leave her alone?"
"Babies cry."
"Emma was six weeks old."
Mom's voice hardened.
"I am not going to be interrogated by my own daughter."
I felt tears burning my eyes.
"Then I'll make this simple. You will not see Emma until I understand exactly what happened every time Lauren was around her."
"You cannot keep my granddaughter from me."
"Watch me."
I hung up.
At 2:06 a.m., another email arrived.
From Lauren.
Subject:
YOU WANT THE TRUTH?
Inside was one sentence.
Ask Mom why she begged me not to tell you what happened the day Emma stopped breathing for twenty seconds.
James went completely still.
May you like
"What day?"
I had no answer.
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