HIS NEIGHBOR WOULDN’T STOP REPORTING THE SOUND OF A GIRL CRYING INSIDE HIS HOUSE—THEN HE HID BENEATH HIS DAUGHTER’S BED AND HEARD HER PLEAD FOR SOMEONE TO SPARE HER

She bought Lucia new clothes for school, drove her to volleyball practice, reorganized the kitchen, and told Thomas gently, “She just needs a woman around again.”

Thomas had been grateful.

Blindly grateful.

Barely audible, Lucia whispered, “You’re not my mom.”