The officer on the other end of the call asked me to step into another room where Emily wouldn’t hear the details. My legs felt unsteady, but I walked into the hallway with my daughter clinging to me like a lifeline.
Once I finished describing the assault and confirming that I had video evidence, the officer said a patrol car would arrive shortly. My voice didn’t shake until I hung up. Only then did the adrenaline drain from my body, leaving behind trembling hands and the kind of anger that simmers, sharp and cold.