Dan did not move. He stood in the center of the kitchen, holding my phone, watching her.

“I’m not going anywhere with you until I get some answers,” Sarah said, though she still backed toward the hallway.

“We are leaving together,” Juliette repeated, her voice rising to a near shriek.

“Get your things.”

She began pacing the length of the linoleum floor, her heels clicking sharply.

She looked toward the entryway, where her purse sat on the small bench.

“Where is your sister?” she demanded.

“Tell her to get the bags down here.”

I watched her, my heart hammering against my ribs.

The heat in the kitchen seemed to have intensified, making it hard to breathe.

Dan did not try to stop her.

He just stood there, watching his mother unravel.

“You can’t run away from this, Mom,” Dan said.

“The records are right here.”

“I have the PDF.”

“I can see everything.”

Juliette did not answer him.

She was already moving toward the hallway, her face tight with terror.

“Sarah, move!” she yelled.

“Get the children.”

“We are leaving.”