“I thought she was visiting family.”

“That was a possibility.

So was an emergency.”

Lena went inside with a technician to secure some of Teresa’s belongings for the identity and welfare inquiry.

Near the front window she saw a calendar marked with school activities and clinic visits.

The page for the following month contained a bright red circle around Eli’s eighth birthday.

Underneath, Teresa had written: CAKE WITH BLUE FROSTING.

ASK ELI WHICH DINOSAUR.