Maybe it was some sixth sense cops had, because Trevino said, “But why’d he ask her to call you?”
“I don’t know.”Heat rose in Tean’s face.“You’ll have to ask him.”
“I’m going to do that.”
“What did you find?”
“You’ll get an itemized list of everything we remove.”
“Ammon didn’t kill this man.Ammon wouldn’t kill anybody.”But Jem’s face floated in Tean’s mind.And the nights Ammon had followed Tean.The nights Tean had gone out on dates, and after—without Tean knowing—Ammon had threatened those men.And Daniel was only fifteen.“You’re wrong.”
“Mr.Leon, go home.There’s nothing for you to do here.”
“What did you find in the house?”
“Mrs.Young,” Trevino said, “you may want to wait with a neighbor.This is going to take some more time.”
“What did you find?”Tean asked.“You came here looking for evidence because you didn’t have any proof Ammon hurt this man.But you arrested him.So, what did you find?”
Trevino’s smooth gaze slid to Lucy, and although she didn’t say the words aloud, they hung in the air:You didn’t tell him?
“He confessed,” Lucy said with a disbelieving laugh.“Ammon confessed.”
5
Jem sat on the sofa, stroking Scipio’s head.The Lab was sitting up, alert instead of his usual boneless sprawl, and his dark eyes tracked Tean as he paced.
“I have to do something,” Tean said for the fifth or sixth time.He pushed his hands through his hair, making it even wilder than usual.
“Okay,” Jem said.He made sure his hand was moving slowly, smoothly, and evenly over Scipio’s dark fur.No closing his fingers.No grabbing handfuls of fur.Slow, smooth.Worked his thumb behind Scipio’s ear.“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” Tean said.“But I’ve got to do something.”
Jem had come home from work and found the house dark and Scipio desperate to go outside and do his business.Tean had answered his call with a few brittle sentences.And now here they were, the clock inching past eleven, with only a single lamp burning, and Jem had a moment of confusion: why hadn’t he turned on more lights?
“I know you hate him,” Tean said.“I don’t blame you.But he didn’t do this.He wouldn’t kill somebody.”
Headlights swelled against the blinds, turned, shrank.
Taking off his glasses, Tean stopped in front of the fireplace.His shoulders dropped.He rubbed one eye.“This is going to ruin his life.”
Jem tried, and the words didn’t come.He ran his hand down Scipio’s side, across his flank, chasing the texture of the Lab’s fur.The next time he opened his mouth, he said, “Come here.”
“I know you think he deserves this.”
“Come over here.”
Tean stepped over to the sofa.Jem held out his free hand, and after a moment, Tean put his hand in Jem’s.Jem squeezed once.Harder, maybe, than he needed to.But Tean squeezed back.And then Jem pulled Tean’s hand to Scipio’s head and said, “He says you haven’t been petting him enough lately.”
With a wet laugh, Tean scrubbed at the dog’s ears.He sank down next to the sofa, but his hand moved steadily, petting Scipio in time with Jem’s own movements.
The Lab’s tail thumped enthusiastically since this was, clearly, the treatment he deserved.
After a while, Tean slid his glasses back on.He petted Scipio with both hands now, and the Lab flopped onto his side and stretched.“This whole thing is crazy.I feel like it’s not real.Or like it’s a joke, and pretty soon everyone’s going to start laughing.”
“You want to help him,” Jem said.
Tean’s hands slowed.Then they dropped into his lap.Jem had gone still too.
