Chapter 16
Ethan met me at my office Monday morning for our visit to the children’s center. He drove, of course, across town to the nondescript building at the edge of town. It was close enough to the high school to be found easily but far enough out of town to be subtle. I knew that was intentional.
“What’s the name of this place?” Ethan asked as we walked up to the front door.
I shook my head. “I don’t know the legal name. We always refer to it as the children’s center, but there aren’t any signs for protection.”
“What do you mean?” he asked with a confused look.
“They take in kids who are runaways. Kids who are running from abusive homes. Or dangerous ones. Kids who need a safe place to be. Most of them end up in the foster system. Sometimes a relative will step up, but the goal he
