And the one situation he had never once managed, in two years, was the safety of his own child.

Chapter 13 — The Conference Room

I met him only once more, in a conference room, with both our attorneys present.

He sat across the table from me, and the transformation was total.

The slick, polished composure he had worn like armor for two years had completely evaporated.

His designer suit was wrinkled, his eyes bloodshot, and he clutched a paper cup so tightly the cardboard had crushed flat in his grip.

Beside him, his expensive defense lawyer looked deeply uncomfortable, reviewing the video transcript on a tablet as though hoping it might say something different this time.