She lifted her hands, frustrated, let them fall. ‘‘He’s told me very little about his life before he came here. I’ll need specifics in order to block any custody attempt on her part.’’

‘‘He doesn’t want her. And she doesn’t want him.’’ Ethan resisted, barely, crumpling the letter into a ball and heaving it. ‘‘Unless he’s worth the price of another fix. She let her johns try for him.’’

Anna shifted to face him, kept her eyes calm and direct on his. ‘‘Did Seth tell you that? Did he tell you there had been sexual abuse and she’d been a party to it?’’

‘‘He told me enough.’’ Ethan’s mouth went hard and grim. ‘‘And it’s up to him if he wants to tell anybody else and see it put in some goddamn county report.’’

‘‘Ethan.’’ Anna laid a hand on his rigid arm. ‘‘I love him, too. I only want to help him.’’

‘‘I know.’’ He stepped back because the anger was too fierce and too likely to spew on everyone. ‘‘I’m sorry, but there are times the system makes it worse. Makes you feel like you’re being swallowed up.’’ He struggled to block out the echo of pain. ‘‘He’s going to know he’s got us, with or without any system, to stand with him.’’

‘‘The lawyer needs to know she made contact.’’ Phillip took the letter from Ethan, folded it, and tucked it back into the envelope. ‘‘And we have to decide how we’re going to handle it. My first impulse is to go down to Virginia Beach, dig her out of her hole, and tell her in a way she’d understand just what’s going to happen to her if she comes within fifty miles of Seth.’’

‘‘Threatening her won’t help . . .’’ Anna began.

‘‘But it would feel damn good.’’ Cam bared his teeth. ‘‘Let me do it.’’

‘‘On the other hand,’’ Phillip continued, ‘‘I think it might be very effective—and look very good if it ever comes to a legal battle—if our pal Gloria got an official letter from Seth’s caseworker. Outlining the status, the options, and the conclusions reached. Contacting orattempting to contact a birth mother who may be rethinking giving up custody of her child—a child who’s in your files— would come within the parameters of your job, wouldn’t it, Anna?’’

She mulled it over, knowing it was a fine line and expert balance would be required to walk it. ‘‘I can’t threaten her. But . . . I may be able to make her stop and think. But the big question is, do we tell Seth?’’

‘‘He’s afraid of her,’’ Cam murmured. ‘‘Damn it, the kid’s just starting to relax, to believe he’s safe. Why do we have to tell him she’s poking her finger back into his life?’’