My voice brooked no argument, though I could see the concern etched in the nurse’s eyes. She nodded, and with a final reassuring glance at Leo, I left the office, my mind racing with what needed to be done.

I drove home with a grim determination, my fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly. The suburban streets blurred past me, a stark contrast to the clarity of my thoughts. I needed to get to the bottom of what had happened, to confront Steve and my wife, and ensure Leo’s safety.

As I parked a little way down the street from my house, a strategy began to form. I wasn’t the type to resort to violence; there were smarter ways to handle this. I dialed my best friend, Mark, who lived a couple of blocks away and knew about my past before I became the mild-mannered man everyone was acquainted with.