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Chapter 7

"Sophie, do you know what happened to your daddy?"

"Yeah, he died." All three adults frowned, what 4 year old knows about death?

"Well, Sophie, Mommy's gone too see daddy." Maura stroked the the little girls side-fringe out of her eyes.

"But she can't." Sophie said with teary eyes.

"Why?" Frankie encouraged her.

"Because Mr Jones said she can't. That's Mommy's boyfriend but I can't call him Matt 'coz he said I can't. I called him it by accident once and he hit me." At this all three adults stopped what they were doing and crowded round Frankie who held the now crying child in his arms.

"Where did he hit you baby girl?" Frankie exclaimed hurt and worry evident in his voice. She shook her head in the crook of his neck.

"I can't tell you." She whispered. Angela who could no longer listen to this conversation moved to put all four plates on the table.

"Why not?" Maura asked.

"Because he said he's going to kill me if I tell anyone what he does to me." Frankie carried her to Maura's table and set her down on one of the chairs. Maura followed her boyfriend and handed him a pack of tissues which he opened and took a few out- he then passed them to Angela who was also crying.

"Don't cry. We're gonna look after you, Sophie, but you have too talk too us. Tomorrow though. I'm hungry." They all laughed sadly. Frankie kissed Maura quickly before sitting down at the head of the table.

Later that evening Maura and Frankie laid in her bed in complete silence. This case had suddenly become so much more than just the average case: now it was about getting Sophie closure, making sure she got and new home with parents who love her and the safety of knowing that her abusive 'stepfather' was behind bars- for life.

Frankie heard Maura start to cry and he pulled her into him and she buried her head in his chest.

"It's not fair on them!" She cried. " I hate it Frankie! I hate him!"
Frankie's heart broke as he rubbed her back trying to calm her cries. He hated seeing his Maura like this, and he knew there was nothing he could do to make her feel any better.

" I know baby, we're gonna help them though..."

"No we're not Frankie!" Maura screamed. "Sophie's never going to forget that!"

"I know Maura. The most we can do is find them a good home and put him in prison."

"I guess your right, I'm sorry, Frankie."

"You don't need to apologise, Maura. We are all worried for them but their grandparents are coming down and I'm sure they will be happy too take them in. It'll work out in the end, Hon, it always does."