For Lee, adolescence had meant promiscuity, drugs, and mood swings so severe I was willing to bet they resulted from more than substance abuse. By fourteen, she’d made two suicide attempts— overdose cries for help. Cursory attempts at counseling followed, along with a flood of recrimination at home. When her father found her having sex with a boy in her bedroom, he kicked her out.

George Ramos wasn’t aware of any notable problems during her six months under the Daneys’ care, but he admitted, with downcast eyes, that he had never visited her.

Lee Ramos had left foster care a month before turning sixteen. On her birthday, at midnight, she’d stayed home while her roommates went out to party. Shortly after, she cut her wrists with a rusty box cutter, lay down on a ratty mattress, and quietly bled to death.

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 32

Talking about his sister had left George Ramos pale and worn.

Milo apologized for intruding. Ramos said, “You’re just doing your job,” and stared at the grass.

I said, “Did you have any contact with the Daneys?”

“I called them once after Lee died. Don’t ask me why. Maybe I thought they’d care.”

“They didn’t?”

“I spoke to the wife— Charity, Chastity, something like that— ”

“Cherish.”

“That’s it,” he said. “She broke down, sobbed, got damn near hysterical. Maybe I’m cynical but I thought it was a little over the top.”

“Putting on an act?” said Milo.

“They only had Lee for a few months and obviously they didn’t do a very good job.”

“You tell her that?”

“No,” said Ramos. “I didn’t— wasn’t in a mood to talk.”

“Cherish do anything to make you think she was faking her grief?”

“No, but who knows?” said Ramos. “Who knows about anything?”

“Ever speak with her husband?”

“Nope, just her.” Ramos stood and snatched up his books and his laptop.

I said, “Did Lee ever hint around about getting pregnant?”

Ramos’s long face turned sad. “Don’t you guys get it? We didn’t talk.”

He let the books dangle, clutched his laptop to his chest, and bird-walked away. Other law students continued to stream out, some chatting in tight little groups, a few preoccupied loners forging their own trails.

Milo got up and stretched. “I just creaked.”

“Didn’t hear a thing.”

“So the Daneys take on too many wards but don’t supervise. Fits with moral laxity.”

“It does.”

“Ready to go?”

I stayed on the bench.

“Alex?”

“What if?” I said.

He sat back down.

* * *

A group of students passed us. When they were gone, he said, “What evil thoughts have seized that brain of yours?”

“George Ramos assumes Lee got pregnant on the street. It could’ve happened in-house. Literally.”

“Daney?”