They had not supplied a basis for announcing that a crime had been committed against Patrick.

That distinction mattered to Toby too, whether he heard us state it or not.

His grandfather had died.

His mother had lied to me.

If I allowed those truths to fuse into an accusation unsupported by evidence, I would create another story he had to survive.

Back at the house, Samantha had separated Patrick’s possessions from the moving boxes.

We made an inventory together.

Shoes.