SHE CHAINED THE SHERIFF’S SICK FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER IN 95-DEGREE HEAT — THEN HE DISCOVERED THE SECOND HEART ALARM HAD BEEN PLANNED BEFORE SHE ARRIVED
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Chapter 42 / 44
Chapter 43 - EMMA AT FIFTEENAt fifteen, Emma understood more.
She asked about the slap.
“You really hit her?”
“Yes.”
“Hard?”
“Yes.”
“Did she deserve it?”
I looked at her.
“That’s not the question I use anymore.”
“What question?”
“Was it necessary?”
Emma thought.
“No?”
“No.”
“She was horrible.”
“Yes.”
“So you wanted to.”
“Yes.”
“Do you still?”
Sometimes.
But I said:
“I understand why I did.”
“I also understand why I shouldn’t have.”
Emma nodded.
May you like
“That’s complicated.”
Most important truths were.
