“You made excellent time,” Carter said, his voice completely flat.

Carter stopped clicking his pen.

He gestured toward a small room halfway down the hall.

“Let’s step into the quiet room,” Carter said.

“Just the parents, please.”

The quiet room smelled of old paper and dust.

I sat on the edge of a tan fabric sofa while Daniel stayed standing by the closed door.

He checked his watch again, tilting his wrist to catch the dim fluorescent light from the hallway.