"Tell me why you left," she says, getting up to stand behind him. "What did you know? I saw you and Mother arguing the night you went missing. I need to have some answers."     He turns to her, smiling sadly. He hesitates and then speaks. "Your grandmother is-was-a very powerful woman. More powerful than I or your mother had imagined. She had connections to shady organizations and we found out she was planning something big. What, we weren't sure, but I later found out that it involved the murder of a high-ranking politician." He sighs, closing his eyes as if to find the strength to go on. "Your mother and I were growing afraid, especially for you. She was always too close to you, more interested in you than perhaps she should have been. Your mother was especially scared. She wanted us to leave. That was the argument you heard. But you weren't the only one that heard it.      Your grandmother confronted me that evening. She demanded I leave. She threatened you, she threatened your mother. So I left. I packed a bag and left, with the intention of sending for you and your mother when I found a suitable place to live. I didn't tell her where I was going, but she knew… Two days later I got a package in the mail. Divorce papers. Your mother had signed them. She demanded full custody of you. Of course I refused to sign them, and sent them back saying so. Well, your mother came to see me one evening. She told me that this is what she wanted, and that no one was forcing her to do this. That it would be better this way. What could I do? I signed the papers."      Melinda interrupts him. "You signed the papers even though you knew that would mean leaving me with my grandmother, who you knew was dangerous?" she asks incredulously.      "Melinda," he says, turning to her and staring her straight in the eyes, "I had no other choice. I think you know that. Your grandmother threatened me-"      "No," she says, interrupting. "I don't believe you. You could have come for me. If you really cared, you would have come for me and for Mother. If you were truly afraid, you would have tried to save us," she pauses a moment, struggling with what she was about to say next. "She killed her, Father. And you let it happen!"      She turns her back to him, her face burning with an anger she never realized lurked inside her.      "Melinda, please listen…" he says, pleadingly.      She twirls around to face him, her eyes flashing. "No, you listen to me," she says evenly. "You betrayed me. You betrayed my mother. You went off on your own because you didn't care. You remarried as soon as you could and had another daughter to replace me. Why should I listen to you? Why should I trust you? You never cared. In my eyes, you are worse than my grandmother."      She turns on her heel and walks toward the door.      "Melinda, please don't go," she hears her father call out to her.      She stops and turns around one more time. "It's too late," she says quietly. "You had your chance 18 years ago but you obviously had better things to do. Please give Jean and your daughters my apologies for not being able to stay for dinner."