The little girl hadn’t spoken since the night her mother was found on the kitchen floor! Then the court dog lowered his head-and she whispered one sentence toward the defense table…

the dog’s head and whispered something no one else could hear.

Ava rose slowly. She did not approach the stand yet. The six pages of questions in her binder now seemed like something written for a different child.

“Hi, Lily,” she said. “I’m Ava. We met in the little room with the blocks. Do you remember the blocks?”

Lily’s eyes stayed on Boone’s collar.continue reading …