Vanessa laughed.

It was a small, sharp sound that made Sophie flinch.

“She’s frightened,” Vanessa told the guests. “That boy must have put the word in her head.”

I carried Sophie away from her. My daughter buried her face against my neck, but she did not take back what she had said.

Ruth came to my side.

“Take her to the sitting room,” she whispered. “I’ll stay with Eli.”

“I’m coming too,” Eli said.

Vanessa blocked his path.

“You’ve done enough.”

I had known Vanessa for years. I had heard her angry, tired, and impatient. I had never heard that cold note in her voice when she spoke to a child.

“Let him pass,” I said.

She stared at me.

“Adrian, our guests are waiting.”

“My daughter needs me.”

I walked out with Sophie. Ruth guided Eli behind us. At the sitting room door, I asked a member of the venue staff to bring Eli’s mother and to give us privacy. Vanessa tried to follow. Ruth stood in front of her.

“You can wait outside,” Ruth said.

I had not seen Ruth speak to Vanessa that way since Grace’s funeral.

Inside, I sat on a sofa with Sophie on my lap. Her small body shook. I rubbed her back and told her she was safe with me.

Eli stood near the door.

“I didn’t ask her to say that,” he told me.

“I believe you. I need to understand why she knows you.”

“My mom worked at your house. Before…” He stopped and glanced at Sophie. “Before Grace died.”

I remembered a woman named Marisol who had helped Grace with the community garden. She and Grace had become close. After the accident, Vanessa told me Marisol had taken another job out of town.

Eli had sometimes come with his mother. I remembered a little boy and Sophie playing beneath the kitchen table. I had not recognized him in his hoodie.

“Where have you been?” I asked.

“In Asheville. Mom got sick for a while. She’s better now.”

Sophie lifted her head. She touched Eli’s backpack.

“You still have it,” he said.

She nodded.

“What’s inside?” I asked.

Eli looked at the door.

“My mom should tell you.”

A soft knock came, followed by a woman’s voice.

“Eli?”

I opened the door. Marisol stood there, breathless, holding a wet coat. Rain had started while she waited outside.

She went straight to her son, then saw Sophie in my arms.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she said.

Sophie reached toward her. Marisol stopped a little way off, letting Sophie decide. My daughter slipped down and hugged her.

I could hardly speak.

“Why did you leave without saying goodbye?”

Marisol looked at me.

“I tried to call you. Twice. Vanessa said you didn’t want the children reminded of that night.”

“I never said that.”

“I know that now.”

Ruth shut the door. From the corridor came Vanessa’s voice, demanding to be let in.

I asked Ruth to tell the venue manager the ceremony was postponed. She nodded and went out.

Marisol crouched beside Sophie.

“Eli wanted you to know he was here,” she said. “You don’t have to tell us anything today.”

Sophie held on to her. I recognized the look on her face. She wanted to believe that, but she was waiting for someone to insist.

I turned to Eli.

“Why did you come to the wedding?”

“We saw the picture in the paper. Sophie was standing beside Vanessa.” He swallowed. “Mom said we couldn’t wait any longer.”

Marisol stood. Her hands were shaking.

“The night Grace died, Eli and Sophie were in the east hall of the house,” she said. “I was working in the garden room. I knew they had seen something, but I didn’t know what. Eli was frightened. Sophie had gone silent.”

“The police asked everyone who was there,” I said.

“They asked me. Vanessa was beside you when I tried to explain about the children. She said they had been in bed.”

I remembered the police speaking with us in my study. I remembered Vanessa bringing Sophie in, already wrapped in a blanket. My daughter had stared at the floor.

“I should have asked them myself.”

Marisol shook her head.

“Grace had just died. I thought I’d get another chance to speak with you. Then Vanessa told me my work at the house was finished.”

Eli opened his backpack and took out a small stuffed fox. Its orange fur had faded, and one ear had been mended with green thread.

Sophie reached for it so quickly I knew it was hers.

“Grace gave it to Sophie,” Eli said. “We found it on the hall floor that night. I kept it because I thought she’d ask for it.”

Sophie pressed the fox to her chest. Her breathing began to slow.

I heard footsteps outside. Vanessa called my name again.

“I’m not asking Sophie to explain anything now,” I said. “But I need to know what you remember, Eli.”

He looked at Marisol. She nodded.

“We were looking for Sophie’s mom. We heard her talking to Vanessa by the stairs.”

My hands went cold.

“What did you hear?”

“Grace said she was going to tell you about money. Vanessa told her to be quiet. Then Sophie dropped her fox.”

He looked down.

“Vanessa came around the corner. She told us to go upstairs. I was holding Sophie’s hand when we heard Grace cry out.”

Sophie squeezed the fox.

A hard knock struck the door.

“Adrian,” Vanessa said. “Open it.”

I looked at my daughter. Her eyes were fixed on the handle.

For the first time since Grace died, I knew exactly where she needed me.

I went to the door, turned the lock, and called the police.