He threw out claim after claim, watching their faces, looking for one that would stick.

The officers were calm and unhurried.

They separated the two of us to steady the scene.

One of them noticed the cameras mounted overhead almost at once and went quiet in a way that told me he understood what they meant.

Another began taking my statement, which was simple, because the truth is always simple to tell.

And a third, a woman with a kind, unhurried manner, went inside to check on my mother.

A few minutes later my mother came out onto the porch on her own, walking carefully, and when she saw Gavin standing by the cruiser, she stopped on the threshold.