**The child, The woman**

The room smelled like stale coffee and cheap cleaning fluid.

Alecia sat at the narrow table, one heel tapping faintly beneath her chair, though her posture remained otherwise relaxed. She didn’t look at the clock, or even shift around uncomfortably, she didn’t ask how long this was going to take, anything that will make them think she was an easy target, any sort of remorse or question could, and would implicate her. She knew better.

Across from her, one of the ...