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

day. She looked over at Edward, whose expression had fallen into sorrowful lines.
    Patrick shook his head no, in his exaggerated way. “I mean, it’s my fault because I threw up but I didn’t want to throw up, it came out of me, my cereal for breakfast. It was Special K.”
    Mary’s heart went out to Patrick, thinking it was his fault, but she didn’t want to interrupt him. Officer Muniz’s lip curled in distaste, and he leaned away.
    Officer Lee nodded in a sympathetic way. “So then what happened, Patrick?”
    â€œSo I tried to lick it up but I couldn’t swallow it again, I tried to, it tasted gross.” Patrick flushed under his freckles. “But then when I tried to eat it again, I started to throw up again, and then all of a sudden, Mr. Robertson picked me up and I started to cry and he hit me in the face with his hand.”
    Mary swallowed hard because it was awful to hear, and she had no doubt watching Patrick tell it, that every word was true. She wondered what the reference to “again” was, but kept her own counsel, leaving it to Officer Lee to continue the questioning.
    â€œPatrick, when he hit you, did he use his fist or was it a slap?”
    â€œI don’t know, his hand, and it hurt a lot and I don’t know what happened, like it’s not that I don’t remember, but it happened all at once, and I went across the room, like I flew across the room.” Patrick’s eyes flared with the memory. “And then when I looked up, I was on the floor and my face hurt really bad and I started to cry. I couldn’t help it.”
    Mary could visualize the scene, which turned her stomach. She noticed Edward blinking wetness from his hooded eyes behind his glasses.
    Officer Lee nodded. “I understand, I would cry too. That’s a terrible thing to have happen. Did he hit you once or more than once?”
    â€œOne time, this time. But, like, before…” Patrick stopped abruptly.
    Mary held her breath, waiting for him to finish. She realized she hadn’t taken any notes while he spoke, but she wouldn’t forget what he’d said.
    Officer Lee asked, “Had this happened before, that Mr. Robertson hit you?”
    Patrick swallowed hard. “He didn’t hit me before, but he pushed me and I hurt myself.”
    â€œWhat happened that time?”
    â€œI never used to throw up in school, like last year I didn’t, but this year it’s different, the teacher, Mrs. Krantz yells a lot and I feel more nervous, and I threw up the first day of school and that’s when they said I was the Duke of Puke and then everybody started calling me that.”
    â€œThe kids were teasing you?”
    â€œYes, and they thought that name was so funny and so they call me that and they make noises whenever they see me, like they pretend they’re gonna puke.” Patrick blinked, and his lower lip trembled, but he didn’t cry. “Mr. Robertson got me another time, like before the last time, and he didn’t hit me but he shoved me, like, pushed me into the wall and I hurt my shoulder.”
    â€œWhich shoulder was that?”
    â€œThis one.” Patrick pointed to his left shoulder.
    â€œDid you tell your grandfather about that?”
    Patrick shook his head, no. Mary glanced at Edward, whose eyes were still wet. He must not have known about the earlier incident, and she knew he would be feeling terrible.
    Officer Lee continued, “The first time, did Mr. Robertson say anything to you?”
    â€œHe was saying I was the Duke of Puke, that I was a big baby and I should be ashamed of myself for being such a baby and so stupid.”
    Mary wanted to wring Robertson’s neck. It killed her to hear about Patrick being victimized, and he wasn’t even hers. She wondered how she would ever be a mother.
    Office Lee frowned. “Was there anybody else around the time that he hit you in the face?”
    Patrick