She walked toward the hallway and peeked into the guest room.

She checked the downstairs bathroom and looked at the empty towel rack.

She came back into the living room and stopped right in front of the sofa.

She set the rabbit carefully on the middle cushion and smoothed its worn fabric ears down flat against the upholstery.

“Grandma said my new mommy would be nice to me,” Lily whispered.

I went over to the sofa and knelt down to her eye level.

I rubbed the brass button on my uniform cuff with my thumb.