The faint voice of seven-year-old Ava Bennett barely carried from her pink, storybook-themed bedroom in one of the city’s most upscale neighborhoods. Daniel Bennett had just returned from a critical business conference in Singapore. His suitcase sat unopened near the front door, his mind focused only on seeing his daughter.
Instead, he caught a glimpse of his ex-wife, Marissa Cole, hurrying down the stairs.
“I have a last-minute client at the studio,” she muttered sharply, avoiding his eyes. She brushed past him before he could ask how the week had gone and disappeared out the door in a rush that immediately unsettled him.
A cold sense of unease settled in Daniel’s chest.
He walked upstairs and tapped gently on Ava’s door. “Peanut, I’m home. Come give Dad a hug.”
“I’m here,” she answered softly.
When he entered, she was sitting stiffly on the edge of her bed, facing away from him, swallowed by an oversized T-shirt. Her shoulders were hunched in a way that didn’t look natural.
“What’s going on, sweetheart?” he asked gently.
She stood slowly and turned toward him. When he stepped forward to embrace her, she gasped in pain.
“Daddy, don’t… it hurts.”
Daniel froze. “Where does it hurt?”
“My back,” she whispered. “It’s been hurting for days. Mom said it was just an accident.”
His stomach tightened. He crouched down so they were eye level. “You can tell me the truth. I will always listen.”
Ava’s hands trembled. “Mom said if I told you… she’d say I was lying. She said grown-ups believe other grown-ups.”
Daniel felt a chill. “I believe you. What happened?”
She stared at the carpet. “She got mad because I didn’t finish my dinner. She came into my room yelling… she grabbed my arm and pushed me. My back hit the closet handle. It hurt really bad.”
He forced himself to stay calm. “Did she take you to a doctor?”
“She went to the drugstore. She said I fell while playing. She put medicine on it and wrapped it tight. She told me not to take it off.”
“Can I see?”
Ava nodded and carefully lifted her shirt.
Daniel’s breath caught. The bandages were dirty and discolored. Beneath them, bruises spread in deep shades of purple and black. The smell suggested infection.
“When was this changed last?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t remember. She said to leave it until you came back.”
That was enough.
“We’re going to the hospital right now,” Daniel said firmly.
“Am I in trouble?” Ava asked anxiously.