Mara and Ping, standing on the front steps leading to the porch, turned when they heard the noise behind them. Two police officers—one a man, the other a woman—jogged across the grass toward them. They did not have their weapons drawn, but they both ran with one hand resting over their holsters.
The female officer stopped five feet from the steps. “Are you Mara Lantern?”
“Yes, I’m Mara.” She stepped back down onto the path from the stairs.
Patrick Harrington opened the door behind them, looked wide-eyed at the scene. They all turned toward him. “What is going on?” Harrington asked.
“Daddy? What’s happening?” A tiny arm wrapped around his leg from behind, and a little blonde girl poked her head out between the leg and the door frame. Her eyes widened when she saw Mara.
Mara waved up to
