She asked to see it.

I handed it over.

It felt surprisingly difficult to relinquish the one thing I had been doing myself.

Then I remembered that I had begun it so the observations could be checked, not so I could hold the only copy of them.

Dana read the entries and asked about the words Noah had whispered.

I told her exactly what I remembered, including what I had asked afterward.

“I don’t want him questioned until he says what people want,” I added.