“And after?” Cooper’s tone was cautious and patient. Lila shook her head firmly. The motion was small but certain. Everyone in the room understood her meaning without her having to say the words aloud.
Merritt observed her closely. Trauma made witnesses unreliable, but sometimes, it also stripped away the need to lie. The girl didn’t fidget, didn’t seek approval. She simply remembered, and remembering was its own quiet defiance.