Read Online Damaged by Lisa Scottoline - Free Book Online Page A

incident between now and the time he’s interviewed at PCA. It’s procedure to keep the number of times he’s interviewed to a minimum, for obvious reasons. That’s why my interview now will be just enough to complete our file and begin our investigation.” Officer Lee turned to Patrick with a reassuring smile. “So, Patrick, we want to hear from you. How did you get that bruise on your face?”
    Patrick didn’t say anything.
    â€œWhat happened to you? I know it was a while ago, but do you remember what happened?”
    Patrick nodded, but didn’t say anything, then looked down.
    â€œOkay. Let’s just start at the beginning.” Officer Lee consulted her notes. “You just started the fifth grade, right? I have a son in fourth grade, and his name is Adam.”
    Patrick didn’t reply, and Mary felt pained on Patrick’s behalf. It couldn’t have felt good to hear about another boy about his age, lucky enough to have a pretty mom who also happened to be a cop.
    Edward nudged Patrick. “Patrick, tell them what happened. They don’t have all day. They’re very busy.”
    Officer Lee pursed her lips. “Mr. O’Brien, thank you, but we have time. He can take his time.”
    â€œTake your time, Patrick,” Officer Muniz added.
    Patrick looked over at Mary, and on impulse, she winked at him. He flashed her a brief smile, which touched her.
    Edward frowned. “Patrick, don’t be rude. Tell her how you got hit at school, will you?”
    Mary knew Edward was trying to speed things up, but he had put words in Patrick’s mouth.
    Officer Lee pursed her lips again. “Patrick, your grandfather means, tell us how you got the bruise.”
    Patrick stopped sucking his lip. “The teacher’s aide hit me. Mr. Robertson.”
    â€œHow did that come about, that Mr. Robertson hit you?” Officer Lee softened her tone.
    â€œI was going to the assembly, and I started to get really, upset in my stomach, and I knew I was going to throw up, because sometimes I throw up in school and I get nervous.” Patrick started working his lips again, looking down, and Mary and Officer Lee exchanged sympathetic glances.
    â€œI know how that is,” Officer Lee said, again modulating her tone. “I used to be very nervous in school. I didn’t speak English that well, I had an accent, and the other kids teased me.”
    Patrick listened, but didn’t say anything.
    â€œI get nervous sometimes on my job, too.”
    Patrick nodded, his eyes flaring suddenly. “Because of terrorists.”
    â€œRight!” Officer Lee smiled.
    â€œTerrorists, they try to shoot police, I saw on the news.”
    â€œYes, that’s very true.” Office Lee nodded. “So everybody gets scared and nervous, sometimes. It’s okay to be scared sometimes and to get sick. So what happened, you threw up?”
    Patrick nodded, blinking, meeting Officer Lee’s gentle gaze.
    â€œAnd then what happened?”
    â€œMr. Robertson got really mad, like, really mad. He said, ‘you better clean that out, you have to clean that up!’’ Patrick’s voice sped up, the story rushing out like a dam opening. “But it was on the floor and it has like a rug and it’s like a blue rug and I didn’t know how to clean it up, so I said to Mr. Robertson, ‘What do I clean it up with?’ I didn’t see any paper towels or anything that I could pick it up with and he said, ‘You have to lick it up.’”
    Officer Lee blinked. “That’s not very nice, is it?”
    Mary masked her reaction. The very notion revolted her, and she also felt confused, in that this wasn’t the story that Edward had told her. She didn’t know if Edward had known this, he had just forgotten, or if Patrick was just telling it anew. She would have to clarify the time and location of the incident, but that was for another