Sophia watched it instead of me, both hands wrapped around her rabbit’s left ear.

The gray tip of that ear was dark from her thumb.

Thomas came back with his hands empty.

He pulled the wheeled stool close to her and sat so his eyes were level with hers.

“Sophia, I need to ask you one thing,” he said.

“You can nod or shake your head.”

She didn’t move.

“If you went home with your mom and dad tonight, would you feel safe?”