“Chloe, what is it, sweetheart?” Martha whispered as she knelt down on the tiled floor so they were at eye level once again. Chloe stepped closer until she was almost touching Martha’s knees.
“Grandma, I am not really sick with a stomach bug,” the girl whispered while glancing nervously toward the locked door. She paused for a long heartbeat before she whispered the words that made Martha’s entire body go cold.
“Mommy and Daddy said that I am not allowed to tell anyone what happened,” Chloe admitted. Martha felt a physical chill run through her, but she kept her voice calm and steady to reassure the child.
“You can tell me anything at all, and I promise you are safe here,” Martha said gently. Chloe nodded slowly and then lifted the side of her floral dress just enough to reveal the skin hidden beneath the colorful fabric.
Martha’s breath caught painfully in her throat as she saw a large, yellowish bruise stretching across the side of the little girl’s ribcage. This was not a small mark from a tumble on the playground, but a deep and painful injury that had clearly been there for several days.