Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

“I denied everything, of course. But she said a lot of little girls with
sexual traumas experienced bleeding earlier than the norm. She also said a
lot of women with endometriosis suffered from sexual assault as a child.”
She quietened for a beat, lost in her thoughts. “Turns out a thirteen year old’s
body isn’t made to accommodate a fifty year old man’s.” I hugged her a little
tighter to me when she said that, because no words could make her feel better
about any of that.
No word could heal the years of abuse she had endured, the things she
had heard and seen and been through. I felt so fucking useless at that moment.
So fucking helpless, knowing that there was nothing I could do about it.
But hearing her talk about what my sister said just made so much sense.
That day she had a panic attack, it was not because of the blood alone, it was
because the whole scene must have reminded her of the night she found
Valentina in her bed after that bastard hurt her.
Actually, so many things made sense all of a sudden, how I didn't even
know they could speak Spanish, her not wanting Valentina anywhere near
pictures of Jack and Marcella, the way she reacted when she saw Aisha, the
foster mother that had taken Valentina in, months ago. Valentina had said she
looked like their mother and at first I thought she meant the way she spoke or
held herself. But when I saw Sofia stare at her with stunned eyes, I'd thought
something was weird. Because Aisha didn’t look anything like Marcella
Raymond, but I’d bet she looked a great deal like Jasmine Flores.
“I’m glad they're dead. I hope they’re rotting in hell.” I griped, hugging
her small body closer to mine.
“Me too."
“How did you do it, though? I can’t believe you took three people down
on your own. What was Harold even doing there?” I truly was a detective at
heart, because the logistics of this case didn’t make sense, even if I knew the
truth now.
Sofia was silent for a moment then she resumed drawing circles on my
chest. “You had an accomplice, didn’t you?” My mind was reeling, and my