Val raised her eyebrows, wondering why neither Morgan said this before. Why the hush about it?

Mrs. Morgan gave a guilty look. She must have known Val’s reaction well, seen it a thousand times. “Mr. Morgan has always had a hard time coming to terms with Bridget’s diagnosis. He doesn’t like to say it. Or hear it.” Mrs. Morgan’s eyes went wide at what she just said. “Oh, please don’t think badly of him. Mr. Morgan likes perfection, and he tries to compensate… to correct.” She tipped her head down and shook it in regret. “No, there’s no excuse. James is James. That’s the best way I can explain it. He loves Bridget. He just wants her to be something she’s not.”

Val took a bite of cake. “I understand. Sometimes, the people we love the most are the ones we make excuses for the most. We want the best for them. It doesn’t come from hate, but loving too much.”

Though Mrs. Morgan smiled politely, her face showed a sadness that couldn’t be hidden. “We both love her very much. We loved all of our children. That’s why I needed to talk to you today. I don’t want you to listen to gossip that’s fifteen years old.”

“About Bridget?” Val suspected Mrs. Morgan knew Melinda’s version of the story.

Mrs. Morgan nodded. “The day our twins died, Bridget was home too. There was always speculation that Bridget led them outside. Gabi denied it but Melinda and Bethany fueled the rumor and people tended to believe it.”

So, Bridget was home, and it was obvious the Morgans buried this fact. “The police reports mentioned nothing of Bridget,” Val stated.

“I know. That’s how we wanted it,” Mrs. Morgan responded with a tight face. “We had our reasons.”

So, the Morgans’ influence did get this erased from the police report, but Val felt there was something more, something deeper, below the surface. “I heard the twins were afraid of the water.”

“They were, but they would go in if they had the right companion to play with, and there were only a few people who they liked. One of those was Bridget. Gabrielle was another…” Mrs. Morgan’s voiced trailed suggesting at least one more individual was on that list.

Val took a stab. “I’m assuming Bethany was another?”

“No. Bethany couldn’t swim. Melinda was the third. And the last.”

“Do you think it was Melinda that day that led them into the water?”

“I know it wasn’t Bridget.”

“How can you be sure.”