“I could have told Daddy or Grandmama. They would have—” He cut me off. “You can’t, Maddie. If you tell them, they’ll call the police. Then the police will call Child Protective Services. Know what will happen then?” I shook my head. I had no idea. I didn’t even know what Child Protective Services was. “CPS would take me away. Away from Pop. Away from here. Away from you.”
