Page 21 of Mind Maze

“Why do people do that?” Kaitlyn asks, voice ragged and aged for someone so small.

People.

Not just Vivienne.

“Because they’re bad,” I say firmly. “They like to hurt children for no reason.” I close my eyes for a beat but force out my next question. “Who all did that to you?”

I’m dreading the answer.

If she says Theo or Orion…or Caius.

“Gareth, er, Daddy,” she whispers. “He’s not my real dad, but I’m not supposed to talk about that.”

I swallow hard. “You can tell me anything. No one believed me when I was little. I want you to know that you have someone who believes you.”

“My real dad didn’t do it,” she explains, voice fierce and protective. “His medicine made him sick and he died. That’s why I scream when I get shots. I don’t want to die like he did.”

Tears prickle my eyes and I nod. Her way of explaining what seems to be a heroin overdose breaks my heart. “Makes sense.”

“After he died, I had to go live with some people because Mom was in jail. I don’t really remember her,” Kaitlyn says sadly. “My foster mother, Dorothy, told me jail was a good place for her.”

There’s probably some truth in that.

“Was Dorothy one of the people who…” I trail off, unable to say the words.

“No.” She looks down at her tiny hands, her thumb rubbing what looks like a cigarette burn scar. “Her husband, Jerry.”

I want to kill every last one of these people who hurt her—who hurt me.

“Why do they always come to my bed at night?” she asks, voice wobbly. “Is that why you’re in here?”

Shuddering at her words, I shake my head violently. “No. Never. In fact, I’m going to sleep on the sofa. You can lock this door if it makes you feel safer.”

She relaxes and nods. “Okay. I want to do that.”

“What about Gareth’s family? Did they ever do that to you?”

“No.”

Relief floods through me, but I want to be sure.

“Theo has watched you a lot lately. Has he ever touched you in ways you don’t like?”

“No.”

“And Caius? Has he?”

“No.”

“Orion?”

“No.”

I’m able to fully relax. “Anyone else?”

“Gareth, I mean, Daddy…” she trails off and turns her attention back to the television.

“You don’t have to call him Daddy. He’s dead. Gareth is fine.”

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