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“Thank you. Take care of yourself,” she replied.

Once we hung up, I headed upstairs.

Storie was behind that dog getting sick. I could feel it in my bones. I dragged my tired ass upstairs to talk to her. With Rita, Dream and Melody being gone, the house felt so empty and cold. I missed having all my girls here, especially after a hard night like the last one.

When I got upstairs her door was halfway open. I pushed it the rest of the way and found her stretched across her bed with a book.

She still didn’t have her phone. Reading had become her favorite thing to do whenever I came looking for her. She could look so peaceful lying there but I knew there was no peace in her.

“Hey, Daddy.” She put on her fake smile.

“Put the book down.”

She looked up.

“What happened?”

“Cookie’s at the vet.”

Her eyes stayed on mine.

“Is she gonna be okay?” she asked.

“She got into some chocolate,” I replied.

“Oh.” I could see she was fighting the urge to smile.

“Did you give it to her?” I asked.

“No.”

She didn’t even need a second.

I stepped farther into the room.

“Try again.”

“Daddy, I didn’t give her anything.” She sat up and looked at me, giving me her undivided attention.

“I saw you buy chocolate yesterday. Now your grandmother’s dog is sick,” I said.

“That doesn’t mean I did it.”

“You’re lying to me.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

“Because you keep fucking doing it,” I yelled.

Her mouth fell open.

I wasn’t interested in the offended act today. I had watched her perform it over Midnite. I had mistaken her tears for proof while Kira stood there telling me I had the wrong person.

“You killed that horse,” I said.

“No, I didn’t.”

“You killed Midnite and let me believe Kira did it.”