At half past seven the hallway lights flickered as the morning shift at the hospital started.

Dr.

Evelyn Reed came down the quiet linoleum corridor carrying a blue cardboard file folder.

Beside her was a woman in a gray wool suit with a silver pen and a thick stack of papers.

“Agnes, this is Sarah Miller with county child protective services,” Dr.

Reed said.

She laid a gentle hand on my shoulder and then motioned toward the vinyl chairs by the window.

“We’ve gone over Benji’s intake file from three o’clock this morning,” Sarah said.