I watched, my heart thumping in my chest, as the officers slapped handcuffs on Gerald. The detective tried to talk to me, saying sorry for something, but her words were just noise. I couldn’t focus on her. My mind was on the bathroom door, closed and silent. 

“Madison!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “The police got him. It’s safe now.” But there was no answer, just a low sound that might have been a grunt. I felt sick with worry. What if she was hurt? What if—

As ...