A hospital social worker arrived first. Then a police officer. Then a county child protection worker with tired eyes and a clipboard.

Nobody used dramatic words. They used process words. Document. Bag. Photograph. Screen. Statement. Review.

The officer took the note. The nurse brought a printed medication report from the emergency intake. The child protection worker asked Mason whether he felt safe answering questions with me in the room.

He looked at me like the question itself hurt. “He’s the only reason we’re here.”

Then we played the recording.

The video was mostly dark — Mason must have hidden the tablet under a blanket, or behind something on the counter. The audio was clear enough.