“When I got here this afternoon, I asked who was helping you around the house.”
Tiffany’s shoulders stiffened.
June continued.
“You told me she’d come from the neighborhood.”
The living room became silent.
I stared at my wife.
“What?”
June’s voice remained calm.
“You said the girl cleaning was a teenager who lived nearby and sometimes helped you with household work.”
Tiffany gave an awkward laugh.
“Oh, June, you must have misunderstood.”
“No,” June replied firmly. “I remember asking because I thought she seemed young to be doing all that cleaning.”
My wife’s smile began to disappear.
“You’re making this sound strange when it really isn’t.”
But June wasn’t finished.
“You specifically told me she wasn’t one of your daughters.”
I felt a cold sensation settle in my stomach.
I looked at Tiffany.
“Why would you say that?”
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Then glanced toward the other women,
