“The district officer told us this morning that filing a predated child neglect report is grounds for criminal charges,” Evan said.

“We have the December twenty-fourth timestamp.

We could take it straight to the county prosecutor’s office first thing tomorrow.”

“No,” I said softly.

“Clara, she tried to use a fake welfare claim to take your daughter away from you,” Evan said, his voice rising a little.

“She put your name on a state intake record.”

“If we press criminal charges, we’ll be sitting through depositions for the next eighteen months,” I said.

“We’ll have to see her every single season.”