Chapter 6 - JASON’S FIRST VISIT
Jason’s first supervised visit took place five days later at a family-services center.
A social worker named Ms. Patel sat in the room with us.
Lily remained in my arms when Jason entered.
He carried a stuffed elephant and wore the blue sweater I had once bought him for Christmas.
He looked exhausted.
“Hi, princess.”
Lily buried her face against my neck.
Jason stopped.
“I brought you Ellie.”
Ellie the elephant had been Lily’s favorite toy before Diane threw the original one away for looking dirty.
Lily glanced at the new toy but did not reach for it.
Jason sat across from us.
His eyes moved to the fading bruise on her cheek.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he began to cry.
“I’m sorry.”
Lily stiffened at the sound of his voice.
He noticed.
That reaction hurt him more than anything I could have said.
“Emily, I made a mistake.”
I kept my voice calm.
“You made hundreds of choices.”
“My mother controlled everything.”
“You gave her control.”
“I was raised to obey her.”
“You are not a child.”
“I know.”
“Our daughter is.”
He wiped his face.
“I want to fix this.”
“You defended Diane before you checked whether Lily was injured.”
“I panicked.”
“You asked me to come home because your mother’s blood pressure was high.”
“I didn’t understand.”
“You understood enough to know your mother was upset.”
He looked toward Ms. Patel.
“Can I hold my daughter?”
Ms. Patel answered gently.
“Only if Lily chooses to approach you.”
Jason placed the elephant on the carpet.
For twenty minutes, he tried to play from a distance.
Lily never left my side.
Near the end of the visit, Jason whispered my name.
“What?”
“Raymond Cole is dangerous.”
I looked at Ms. Patel.
She was already writing.
“How do you know Raymond?”
“My mother hired him before.”
“For what?”
“To handle problems.”
“What kind of problems?”
Jason glanced toward the camera in the corner.
“I can’t talk here.”
“You are talking here.”
“If Mom learns I warned you—”
“Your mother cannot contact me.”
“That has never stopped her.”
“Did she send Raymond into the apartment?”
Jason’s silence answered before his mouth did.
Ms. Patel leaned forward.
“You need to answer the question.”
Jason lowered his eyes.
“I don’t know.”
“Did she tell you she would retrieve Emily’s evidence?”
“She said she would protect the family.”
My pulse quickened.
“How?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“You never ask.”
“I’m trying now.”
“No.”
“You are trying to avoid responsibility while giving me just enough information to keep yourself out of trouble.”
His face collapsed.
“That isn’t fair.”
“Neither is being slapped at two years old while your father watches.”
The visit ended.
As I carried Lily toward the door, Jason called after me.
“Check the storage unit.”
I stopped.
“What storage unit?”
He looked terrified.
“The one my mother thinks I don’t know about.”
“Where is it?”
“Cicero.”
“Unit 317.”
May you like
Then he said something that changed the entire case.
“She keeps records of everyone she owns.”
