“Tyler. Let me see.”
He didn’t move.
Diane came after us, voice suddenly soft.
“Sweetheart. Come here. Let Grandma see.”
Tyler looked at her and shrank back.
I crouched down. Tried to make myself look harmless.
“Who did that? Did Grandma grab you just now?”
Tyler’s lip trembled. His eyes stuck to Diane’s face.
Diane cut in.
“She did it. Just now.”
I could hear my own blood in my ears.
“Tyler. Look at me.”
He turned. Slowly.
“Look at my face and tell me I did that.”
Tyler’s mouth crumpled. He shook his head.
“No.”
I thought that would be enough.
Mark had heard it with his own ears. He couldn’t pretend anymore.
Diane jumped in before Tyler could take another breath.
“The boy’s scared out of his mind.”
I turned to Mark. I took Tyler’s arm and held the red marks up in front of him.
