My 7-year-old stays with my ex.

Officer Hayes returned holding her tiny sneakers—placed neatly on a chair, not tossed aside.

I watched Daniel’s face flicker.
“Why were her shoes on the chair?” Lopez asked him.

“I told her to take them off,” he said tightly. “Mud.”

She nodded. “Where do you keep the key for the padlock?”

“What padlock?” he replied.

Hayes gestured to the broken one on the ground.

“I don’t know,” Daniel muttered. “She broke it.”

I let out a short, incredulous laugh. Mia could barely open a jar.

“Sir,” Lopez said sharply, “the reporting party states she broke it with a brick to free the child.”

Daniel turned on me. “You vandalized my property!”

“Yes,” I said calmly. “To rescue my child.”

The paramedic handed me discharge instructions. “No hypothermia, but she’s cold-stressed. Keep her warm.”

Officer Lopez lowered her voice. “CPS will likely implement an emergency safety plan tonight. Can you take her?”

“Yes,” I said immediately. “I’ve been asking for more custody.”

Officer Hayes returned holding a rope and metal hook attached inside the shed frame.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Looks like a secondary latch from the inside,” he said. “Something meant to keep the door closed.”

Daniel went pale. “That’s not— I don’t know what that is.”

“You don’t recognize hardware on your own shed?” Lopez asked evenly.

“This is insane!” Daniel shouted. “You’re believing a seven-year-old who lies about spilling juice!”

Mia flinched and pressed her face into me.