Chapter 23 Derek had found out

Martin’s face became very still, his eyes boring into her. “What?”

“I’m quitting,” Zoe repeated. “I talked to Liam, and it looks like you were right about someone abusing his mother in front of him and his memories being all mixed up. But I couldn’t change his mind. I couldn’t—I can’t do anything to help him.” She looked at Martin pleadingly. “It’s eating at me that I can’t help him. I hate it, hate feeling useless and ignorant. He needs a child psychologist, not some stranger who doesn’t know what she’s doing—”

“What he needs is to feel loved and cared for,” Martin said, a strange expression on his face as he stared at Zoe. “And I know you care for him, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Zoe shook her head. “That isn’t the issue. I adore the kid, but it isn’t enough, Martin. Just because I care for Liam, it doesn’t make me capable of giving him what he needs. It doesn’t work like that! Now that he’s actually talking, a psychologist can help him.”