Page 45 of Soul Deep
A few days later, Christian was pronounced fit to go home by his surgeon and would be released the next morning. Currently, Lily – who had eventually gotten around to showering much to everyone’s relief – was in her favorite spot cuddled up next to her bear while Daisy sat in Alek’s lap in the guest chair by the window and Dev read from his laptop from the chair near the bed.
“Doctor Danielle Hillary was born Danielle Lyons. According to what I could find, Danielle was eleven years old when she watched her mother, Laura Lyons shoot and kill her husband. Laura was later arrested when she was discovered attempting to hide the body.
“Despite evidence of past abuse on both mother and daughter, as well as several domestic disturbance calls from neighbors, Laura Lyons was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Within months of her incarceration, Laura Lyons committed suicide. Danielle was living with her maternal grandmother at the time.”
Lily let out a little cringe and Christian’s hand stroked over her back. “Is it bad that I kind of feel sorry for her now? I mean, she was just a little girl. To have seen that…”
“Empathy is never a bad thing,” Christian murmured against her hair.
Dev cleared his throat and then continued. “When the grandmother passed on, Danielle was fourteen and put into foster care. There, she was taken in by Doctor Patrick Hillary, a well-respected cardiologist, and his wife Isabelle. The couple later adopted Danielle and she took their last name. Seemingly well adjusted, Danielle did well in school, never caused any trouble and graduated summa cum laude from an Ivy League university. She moved to Vermont and set up her practice, focusing on domestic abuse in 2012.”
Lifting his head from his laptop screen, Dev grimaced as he looked around the room. “Doesn’t really read like the expected backstory of a cold blooded killer, now does it.”
“We have no idea what things she saw, what pain she suffered in those early years, to twist up her soul.” Daisy said quietly with a frown as she burrowed deeper into Alek’s lap seeking comfort.
“That’s what she said to me that night,” Lily added, “that the abuse damages the soul.”
“She’s cooperating with the police.” Dev interjected, “Her trial has been set and she’s retained a top lawyer. It’s in their hands now.”
Lily nodded absently, picturing the faces of the women in her support group. Doctor Hillary had given them a safe place to go, to speak out. She had helped them heal, and had shown them they weren’t alone… Whatever happened, she hoped the woman received the help that she herself now needed.
