The woman behind Morris won’t look at me. Sully cuts in front of Morris. “What has Alex told you, Morris? Whatever it is, it’s not as simple as she’s making it out to be. I know she’s one of your team, but there are … discrepancies that you don’t know about. We have to slow down here.”

Yes, I think, yes, investigate further, the way that nobody ever did for me before. Somebody finally help me.

“Officer Mills, please stop making this harder. We just need to follow things through,” Morris continues. “Ruth, your baby has been cleared for discharge. It was a fast labor, but without complication, and so he’s leaving the hospital today, and we’re placing him into a safe-care home. The investigation process will take thirty days, but you’ll have visitation rights throughout, and we’ll meet again at a conference in our office at the start of October.”

“No!” I shout, and Will wakes up. He lets out a cry and grips the front of my hospital gown. “I’m his mother. He’s safe with me!”

“I know it’s upsetting, but we’re doing our jobs and what’s best for your child,” the woman says, reaching for Will. “Let’s try not to upset the baby.”

I twist away from her arms, but my body is sluggish and sore. Will is crying harder now, his little voice shrill and scared.

Chase is wide-eyed with panic, looking from face to face. “You can’t just—”

Sully takes my hand, his eyes steady on me. “This is a mistake, Ruth. Someone’s set it in motion, but we’ll get to the bottom of it, I promise you. Right now you have to be brave.”

Brave? My sister has betrayed me yet again, and I don’t know who I can trust. Tears roll down my face, and I scream as the woman takes Will out of my arms and straps him into the baby seat. He’s clutching the clothespin in his hand.

“Where are you taking him?” I sob.

“He’ll be in a foster home for a month while we can find everything out,” she says.

“Do something!” Chase says to Sully.

“You’re getting it wrong, Morris.” Sully has both hands on his hips, but he still lets him pick up the baby seat, lets him leave the room with my baby, my son. The sound of Will fades down the corridor as I sway in bed, my vision flooding with ink-black stress, my throat jagged with bile. Chase puts his arm around my back to steady me, but my shoulders give out and I fold against him, darkness sweeping in like a sedative. All I can see is the sad balloon Chase brought me earlier, floating above our heads.

ALEX