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“But Mr. Brockman,” pleaded the girl’s mother, “wouldn’t it be all right if I just sat in the room with her while you talk to her? Penny’s always been a shy child. If she has to talk about the ugly things-“
The burly, dark-haired man behind the desk interrupted Mrs. Livingston rather abruptly. “Sorry, lady,” he said coldly, “but this office makes no exceptions. You think this is the first time the welfare department has had a case like this? We’re plenty experienced with guys getting fresh with their daughters. Happens more than you think. And we interview every kid the same way. We know what we’re doing. Having relatives present is no good. Keeps the kid from opening up and giving us the full story. Now please go get her and bring her in here so we can get on with this.”
Mrs. Livingston reluctantly got up and started for the lobby. She wasn’t about to give him any back talk. He might do something to keep her from getting her monthly check.
Mr. Brockman stopped her at the door with a few words of warning. “You wait out in the lobby, or go out for a cup of coffee if you get restless. It may take me quite a while to ask her everything I need to. But don’t come back into this office until my secretary tells you.”
Fictional reading for entertainment purposes only.