We could explain the decision in words he understood, but we wouldn’t ask him if he thought nine years was enough or whether Dwight deserved anything more.

Finn was in the middle of a board game when I told him Dwight would be kept away from us for a long time.

He looked up and asked if Dwight’s boys had a place to live.

I told him they did.

He moved his game piece and said, “Good.” That was all he needed to know.

Writing my impact statement was tougher.

I could describe the burn, the shed, the weight he had lost, the notes on the phone.