After the immediate risks were assessed and I was allowed to move closer under supervision, Ethan remained in the safe position with Douglas and an appropriate adult overseeing the arrangement.

I did not take him into the confrontation.

Mark saw me and lifted his hands as though he could still settle everything with a conversation.

“Sarah, you don’t understand.”

“I understand that I was told my daughter died.”

“She was being looked after.”

The sentence did not answer the one before it.

“By whom?”