Matthew stands and wraps his arm around me, inspecting my face. He turns to Eleanor and says calmly, “You should go. You won’t be able to see Adam tonight anyway.”

The security door adjacent to the reception area beeps, and a large figure crosses the threshold. “What the hell is going on here?” Sheriff Stevens glances at myself and then Eleanor. She straightens herself up, tilts her head into the air and does an about-face, scurrying out of the police station back into whatever five-star hole she is occupying.

“It’s nothing. Let’s just get this over with,” I say as I pull my hand from my face.

“You sure? That’s quite the mark you got there.”

I nod.

“Have they all been checked-in, Marge?” Sheriff Stevens asks the receptionist.

“Yup,” Marge replies without even looking up from her paperwork.

“All right, you guys can come with me.” Sheriff Stevens extends an arm as if to say, please cross the threshold and let me show you what I have in store.

We follow him down a narrow, painted concrete corridor. Matthew and I walk side by side, while Bob and Anne trail behind us. The walls are white on top and red below. The color contrast is jarring on the eye, and that is precisely the effect intended on people being helplessly escorted to various interrogation rooms.

The sheriff brings us all into one room and begins speaking to us without offering any of us a seat or taking one himself. “First, I want to thank all of you on behalf of the Prince William County Sheriff’s Department for volunteering your time to assist with an ongoing investigation. I must remind all three of you that none of you are under arrest and under no circumstance are you required to speak to us. That being said, if you do volunteer to share information with us, it will be recorded and may be used in the course of the investigation. If that is clear and acceptable to you all, do you still wish to proceed?”

Nods all around the room supply him with his answer.

“Good. Well as I said, it is most appreciated. Before starting, Mr. Miller, you sustained injuries today because of the horrible actions of Deputy Summers. I’m sure you can imagine the level of duress that he is under and the emotions he is dealing with. However, his behavior was unacceptable, and there is no excuse for it. I just want you to know that he has been placed on suspension without pay and is under internal review. Pending the outcome of the findings, we may have to terminate his employment. I am telling you this because I want you to know that we are taking the matter very seriously.” Sheriff Stevens looks right at Bob and asks, “Mr. Miller, do you wish to press charges, as is your right, against Deputy Summers?”