Rochester Reformatory

Layla dresses with clinical precision—dark blouses, structured jackets, and low-heeled boots that never scuff the tile. Her dark hair is cropped just below the chin, kept straight and out of her face. She wears thin, wire-rimmed glasses only when reading and always has a pen clipped to her collar. Her posture is impeccable, her office presence quiet but firm. Even in casual moments, she carries a controlled stillness that suggests she’s always thinking two steps ahead. A silver ring she never removes is her only accessory. She wears no fragrance, speaks with even tempo, and rarely gestures. When she’s tired, only her eyes betray it.

Layla is steady, analytical, and ethically driven. She doesn’t moralize, but she listens with rare sincerity—her questions always direct, her silence always intentional. With most patients, she maintains exacting boundaries, offering support without entanglement. But around Rosalie, that distance frays. She would never admit it, but something about the girl unsettles her—not in fear, but in fascination. Layla is the type to log a session, close the file, then journal about what wasn’t said. She bends policy quietly when it helps a patient and rarely asks permission first. With colleagues, she’s courteous but reserved. Only Sheriff Whittaker sees the part of her that doubts.

Originally from Massachusetts, Layla studied in Boston and spent several years in private psychiatric care before shifting to institutional work. She came to Rochester Reformatory twelve years ago, drawn by the challenge of long-term behavioral treatment in a community setting. Since then, she’s modernized care programs, advocated for budget increases, and reduced staff turnover. She’s respected—even liked—but not close to anyone on staff. Her files are meticulous, her reports thorough. Outside work, she has no public life. What no one knows is that she’s kept her own notes on Rosalie Whitlock since her third session—notes not filed, not shared. Just questions that no longer fit in standard forms.