Chapter 4
The crowd all sucked in a breath at once.
Someone whispered, "What kind of plot twist is this? So that drowned kid actually isn't hers? No wonder she's been so calm about everything."
Another person muttered, "That kid looks like Beatrice. See how she's losing it? So Atwater and the secretary had a baby, and made his wife raise it?"
A third bystander said, "Man, if that's true, that's just too cruel."
Someone called out to me, "Hey, so this kid isn't yours? Then where's your kid? Or are you saying you can't have kids?"
That was not the case.
I stared out at the ocean and said, "My child was swapped without me knowing."
Everyone gasped. "Oh my god!"
A person asked, "So her husband swapped her baby?"
Another person said, "No way, that's just crazy."
Someone else said, "Madam, so your kid's with Beatrice now? You gotta go reclaim her!"
Atwater and Beatrice kept shaking their heads.
Atwater said, "That's ridiculous. She's just making things up. I never switched her baby."
"Really?" I shot back, not even bothering to hide my disbelief.
I pulled out my phone and started playing multiple videos.
The first video showed Beatrice grabbing a ladle of boiling water and pouring it right over her daughter, Lindsay Reed's legs, all the while berating her viciously.
Beatrice snarled, "You worthless brat, all you do is stuff your face. Go on, touch your thigh and see if that flesh is cooked enough to eat now.
"Want me to toss some salt on it for you?"
The second video showed Beatrice bringing the stick down hard on Lindsay's leg.
Beatrice yelled, "You think you can run off and call the cops? In your dreams.
"You're my punching bag for life. There is no way you'll ever escape me."
The third video showed Beatrice driving a thin needle under Lindsay's fingernail. Lindsay was screaming and begging desperately for mercy.
She sobbed, "Mom, it hurts. Please stop. I'll cook dinner right now!"
As the videos kept playing, Beatrice suddenly burst out laughing.
Sje sneered, "So you fucking knew all along, didn't you?
"Bailey, you're cold as ice. You knew I was tormenting her so badly, yet you just stood by and did nothing. Why didn't you ever try to save her?"
Someone in the crowd started wiping away tears.
A woman sobbed, "Jesus, this poor kid. How could you be so vicious to a child?"
Another said, "This is child abuse. Karma's gonna get you for this."
People started pointing at me. "Yeah, you too.
"You figured out your kid was switched, and saw how Beatrice hurt her, so why'd you sit on your hands? Why didn't you call the cops or go and take your daughter back?
"That makes you just as guilty. You both messed up that child's life."
I cut in firmly, "No, that's not true. I only found out about the abuse just recently. Before that, I really didn't know what she was going through.
"I didn't just stand by either. I got someone to sneak her out. See for yourselves."
Everyone's gaze followed my pointing finger over to my right.
Not far away, a tiny child in black sun gear was curled up on the sand.
I approached her, slowly removed her hat. Everyone saw a scarred, battered face revealed in front of them.
An older woman was in tears, unable to stop crying. "This is insane.
"How does she end up looking like this? How could you beat up a child's face so badly?
"You ruined her face. Her life is wrecked now. How could you be so heartless?"
Others started ripping into Beatrice. "You're a monster. How could you do something that brutal to a kid? You deserve to rot in hell for this."