As Officer José López approached the modest one-story house on Maple Street, he braced himself for the unknown. After years on the force, he understood that calls involving children required a delicate touch. Liliana’s voice played over in his mind: vulnerable, scared, and in need of immediate help.
He knocked gently on the door, which creaked open almost immediately to reveal a small girl with large, fearful eyes. Her face was pale, and she clutched her stomach, indicating the source of her discomfort.
“Liliana?” Officer López asked, crouching to her level.
