Chapter 5

For three seconds, no one moved.

Natalie held the red binder against her chest. Grant stood between us, watching me as if I were the dangerous thing in the room.

"Give it to me,"

I said.

"It contains county response documents." Grant kept his voice low. "You can't go through it here."

"I made that binder."

His eyes dropped to my bandaged hand. He had finally noticed my wedding ring was gone.

"Claire, let's discuss this somewhere private."

"No."

My voice carried across the shelter. Several people looked up from their cots.

A shelter intake coordinator approached us.

"Is there…