I looked down at the little squares of cardboard, but before I could answer, the frosted glass door swung open.

Lily came through first in a navy winter coat that stopped two inches above her wrists.

She was walking four paces ahead of a county caseworker with a laminated badge.

A thin red ribbon was looped three times around Lily’s index finger, its tails trailing across her small knuckles.

Right behind them came Rebecca and her attorney, a short man in an olive trench coat holding a taped cardboard box under one arm.

Rebecca caught my eye and started buttoning the middle horn button of her camel coat, twisting the dark thread until it pulled tight.