“I remember Dad telling you that you were no longer his daughter.”
“You were a kid.”
“I was old enough to remember.”
He slid the photograph toward me.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to him.”
“You don’t have to say anything for me.”
At eight that evening, my temporary review access ended.
Daniel removed the Mercer file from my appointment folder.
“You keep your appointment memorandum.”
“And Mercer?”
“You don’t.”
The file left my hands.
It felt heavier gone than it had when I carried it.
Then Daniel told me:
“The independent officer already requested the original routing record.”
“When?”
“This afternoon.”
The process had already moved on.