(Continued from parts 1 and 2)
The Child Protective Services Unit of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services investigates all reports of child abuse or neglect. The accuser (or as the DHS people call him, the “reporter”) need not give his name, but even if he does, he is guaranteed anonymity, and immunity from liability, even if his “report” is groundless.
Phoebe was in the dining room, serving lunch to Faith, Abby, and Gilbert. Trixie is too young to eat solids, and Bede was busy with an experiment, studying the effects of removing his clothes, pulling out the contents of a bookcase, and falling asleep. Some day, his industriousness will change the world. For the better, I trust.
“Who was that at the door?”
“Don’t panic, but it was some people from the Department of Human Services. They wanted to come in.”
“What! Why?”
“They said they were investigating ‘neglect issues.’”
“What did you tell them?”
“I told them no.”
“And what did they say?”
“They said, ‘Okay.’”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah. Just ‘Okay.’”
“And are they gone now?”
“Um…”