“Oh wow. Happy birthday.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“It’s Amara Robinson.”
“I’m happy to meet you, Amara.”
“It’s so cool to meet you. All my friends think you’re amazing.”
“That’s nice to hear. Thank you.” Sam understood that whatever Amara had come to say was deeply upsetting and possibly traumatizing for her and was prepared to give her all the time she needed.
When Amara looked down at her hands in her lap, Sam noticed they were trembling.
She reached over to cover Amara’s hands with her own and noted how cold they were. “I’m here for whatever you’ve come to talk about. Tell me how I can help you.”
Tears slid down her cheeks. “Do you remember six years ago when the body of a thirteen-year-old boy was found in The Yards, down by the waterfall?”
Sam searched her memory but couldn’t recall the case. “What was his name?”
“King Robinson. He was my brother.”
“I don’t remember the case off the top of my head. Can you tell me about it?”
“He… They found him frozen to death in the park, or so they thought. The autopsy showed he’d been strangled.”
“I’m so sorry. Was the killer caught?”
She shook her head and wiped away more tears.
“I’m very sorry that you never got justice for him.”
Amara turned toward Sam, her expression now fierce. “That’s why I’m here. To get justice for him.”
Sam was taken aback by Amara’s sudden vehemence. “Do you know something about what happened to King?”
For a long moment, Amara only stared right at Sam as if reliving her own private hell. And then she blinked and looked down. “I know exactly what happened to him. That’s what I’ve come to tell you.”
Chapter Four
Sam hadn’t expected her to say that, so it took her brain a second to catch up. “You know who killed King?”
“I do. I… I witnessed it.”
“And you’re prepared to make a statement about what you saw?”
Amara nodded as tears continued to flow. “I’ve waited years to make that statement.”
“Why did you wait six years?”
“Because I was eleven when it happened, afraid no one would believe me, and I didn’t want to end up in the foster system, separated from my friends.”
Interesting, Sam thought, that she didn’t mention her parents. “Okay, in that case, here’s what happens next. I’ll make a call to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They oversee prosecutions for the District of Columbia. An Assistant U.S. Attorney will come here to witness your statement, which will be recorded and witnessed by me and another member of my team. Is that okay with you?”
Amara’s hands trembled harder as she nodded. “I’m really scared.”
“I understand, but I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
