“It’s a very long story,” Letty said. She reached down to pick up her niece. “Let’s get you back to the apartment. I think you’ve had more than enough excitement for today.”

“That’s Daddy,” Maya told Isabelle, pointing at Wingfield before hiding her head in Letty’s shoulder. Evan Wingfield was sitting on the stretcher while the EMTs examined his foot. “Why is Daddy here?”

Letty looked at Joe for guidance, but he, too, was at a loss for words.

“He, uh, wanted to visit you, and bring you some new clothes,” Letty began. “But I told him…”

Wingfield looked up just then, his eyes meeting Maya’s. “Hey, baby,” he called. “Daddy’s here. I’ll see you in a little bit, okay?”

“Nooo,” Maya cried. She clamped her hands over her ears. “I don’t want to go to Daddy’s house. He’s a bad daddy. He hurt my mommy.”

Letty’s scalp prickled.

“Do you want me to take her back to your place?” Isabelle offered.

“Wait.” Joe leaned in, his voice calm. “Maya? Can you tell us how he hurt your mommy?”

“No!” Letty said, swinging Maya away from him. “Don’t make her talk about it now.”

“He pushed her down,” Maya said matter-of-factly.

“That’s enough!” Letty said.

But Maya kept on. “Daddy was yelling and saying bad words, and I was asleep, but then I heard Mommy crying, and I was going to give her a hug, like she hugs me when I’m sad.”

“Let her talk, please, if she wants to,” Joe said, his voice low. “This could be important. Please?”

“If she gets any more upset, we’re stopping,” Letty said, her eyes boring into his. “I mean it.”

“Did you stay in your room that day, when you heard them fighting?” Joe asked.

“No?” Maya hesitated. “Mommy was crying and I was scared and I wanted some juice, but then Daddy was very, very mad. Mommy yelled at him to go away, and I wanted him to go away too, but then he yelled at her again, and he hitted her and she fell down. She had a boo-boo on her head.”

Tears were flowing down Letty’s face as she considered the unbearable act that the child had witnessed.

Joe’s voice was gentle. “What happened next, ladybug?”

Maya ducked her chin. “I wetted my pants. I am a big girl and Daddy says big girls don’t wet their pants, so I should be ashamed of myself.”

“That’s not true, Maya,” Joe said. “Even big girls and boys have accidents sometimes,” he reassured her.

“I wet my pants in PE the first day of junior high,” Isabelle confided.

“And I had to take clean clothes to her at school,” Joe said. “Hey, Maya? Did your daddy see you after he pushed your mommy?”