The silence in the living room was suffocating, broken only by the faint, rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock Arthur had been so proud of. Delly’s confession hung in the air between them, a toxic cloud that had finally burst.

"I told Dad," Delly whispered, her voice raw, "about how Linsy had humiliated you, Mom. How she had the police detain you. He was so angry. He went to confront her, but… he never should have kidnapped her. It was wrong. But what if… what if Linsy was right? ...