“Hand over the laptop and your key to the front office.”

“The laptop is in the house,” I said.

“Let me get my clothes and my medicine.”

Julian pulled the screen door shut and clicked the brass latch into place.

“You can come back with a deputy if you want your personal things.

Otherwise, you sleep somewhere else.”

“Julian, I’m seven months pregnant,” I said, my hand resting protectively on the bump under my sweater.

He didn’t answer.