One Scrap of Paper from Oak Creek Hospital Rewrote Thirty-Four Years of What My Family Remembered

“Please state your full legal name and current address for the record,” Howard said.

Claire waited four long seconds before she answered.

“Claire Anne Rowan, four fourteen Birch Street, Pine Ridge,” she said, her voice soft and careful.

“In 1990, were you married to Frank Miller?” Howard asked.

“Our divorce was final on October twenty-eighth of that year,” Claire said.

Howard turned the first display board to face the bench.

“Your Honor, this is a court-certified copy of a 1989 hospital admission photo of four-year-old Mara Rowan,” Howard said.

He pointed his index finger at the top left corner of the black-and-white image.