eighteen years?
“Tell me what you remember about him and what he said exactly.”
Danny let out a painful groan as he turned onto his side to talk to Noah. He seemed to have trouble forming his words.
“Danny, just tell me what happened. I’ve seen crazy things in my life.”
“I was playing a video game one second, and the next, he was sitting next to me. For some reason, I wasn’t scared. He told me his name was Evan and he was a cop.”
“Did you talk to him?”
“Yeah, I asked him what he wanted. I guess … it’s like I knew he wasn’t real. He said my mom was in trouble. The guy in the subway was a plant and more are coming. Those were his exact words.” Danny took his bandaged hand and rested it over his eyes. “The next instant, I was alone, my game was gone, and the screen was filled with white noise. I think I wasn’t scared because he had kind eyes.”
“Kind eyes?”
“Yeah, like Ms. McKenzie—I mean, Mrs. McNeil. They have the same eyes.”
Chapter Six
Elizabeth placed her key in the lock, opened the door, and stood back. Noah had an arm around Danny, taking most of his weight. As gently as possible, he half carried Danny up the steps and into the townhouse.
She eyed the narrow staircase to her son’s room. It had never seemed that long before.
“I can do it, Mom.”
“How about we set you up on the rollaway?” Elizabeth asked, trying to hide the terror Danny’s face put her through with every glance.
Who would beat up a kid this badly? Moments like these she understood murder. She could kill the man who hurt her son. And a quick death was out of the question. She wanted him to hurt, badly.
Her heart constricted with such immeasurable pain, she didn’t know where to put it. One thing was for certain, Danny didn’t need her losing it in front of him. He felt bad enough. In the last two hours, he had apologized at least ten times. Each one crushed her just a little deeper.
“I can get him upstairs. He will be more comfortable in his own room,” Noah said from behind her.
She shook the vicious thoughts from her head and placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder.
“It’s up to you, sweetie. Are you okay with doing the stairs?”
“Yeah, I’m good, Mom.” He lifted his foot to the first step and let out a deep groan.
“Danny, lean your weight on me. I got you,” Noah whispered. “Erin, you go ahead of us and clear the way.”
Erin rushed up the stairs. Noah and Danny seemed to understand each other and worked in unison as they slowly made it up each step. Not knowing what to say or do, Elizabeth followed behind Noah.
In less than five minutes, Danny lay comfortable in his own bed. Noah stepped back and leaned against a dresser. His very presence seemed to overwhelm the small room. But for once, Elizabeth wanted him there. His gentleness had been such a surprise. She could have helped Danny up the stairs on her own, but it would have taken so much out of each of them.
“What can I get you?” she asked, placing her hands behind her back so Danny didn’t notice the trembling.
“I’m good. Just a little tired.”
She eased down onto the bed and brushed away the hair that slipped down over his eyes. She ached to pull him into her arms and make all this go away. Instead, she shoved down her panic and planted a smile on her lips. “If you change your mind, I’m right across the hall.”
“I’m camping out on the floor,” Erin said, sitting on the other side of the bed. “That’s okay, right, Danny? We can watch a movie until you fall asleep.”
“Yeah, that’ll be cool.”
A slight sense of calm brushed over Elizabeth. At least Erin would be close if Danny needed anything. She would give anything to do the same. But what thirteen-year-old wanted his mom camping out on the floor of his room?
Leaning down, she kissed her son’s forehead. He had stopped giving her good-night kisses two years ago. But for once, he didn’t seem to mind her acting like a
“Tell me what you remember about him and what he said exactly.”
Danny let out a painful groan as he turned onto his side to talk to Noah. He seemed to have trouble forming his words.
“Danny, just tell me what happened. I’ve seen crazy things in my life.”
“I was playing a video game one second, and the next, he was sitting next to me. For some reason, I wasn’t scared. He told me his name was Evan and he was a cop.”
“Did you talk to him?”
“Yeah, I asked him what he wanted. I guess … it’s like I knew he wasn’t real. He said my mom was in trouble. The guy in the subway was a plant and more are coming. Those were his exact words.” Danny took his bandaged hand and rested it over his eyes. “The next instant, I was alone, my game was gone, and the screen was filled with white noise. I think I wasn’t scared because he had kind eyes.”
“Kind eyes?”
“Yeah, like Ms. McKenzie—I mean, Mrs. McNeil. They have the same eyes.”
Chapter Six
Elizabeth placed her key in the lock, opened the door, and stood back. Noah had an arm around Danny, taking most of his weight. As gently as possible, he half carried Danny up the steps and into the townhouse.
She eyed the narrow staircase to her son’s room. It had never seemed that long before.
“I can do it, Mom.”
“How about we set you up on the rollaway?” Elizabeth asked, trying to hide the terror Danny’s face put her through with every glance.
Who would beat up a kid this badly? Moments like these she understood murder. She could kill the man who hurt her son. And a quick death was out of the question. She wanted him to hurt, badly.
Her heart constricted with such immeasurable pain, she didn’t know where to put it. One thing was for certain, Danny didn’t need her losing it in front of him. He felt bad enough. In the last two hours, he had apologized at least ten times. Each one crushed her just a little deeper.
“I can get him upstairs. He will be more comfortable in his own room,” Noah said from behind her.
She shook the vicious thoughts from her head and placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder.
“It’s up to you, sweetie. Are you okay with doing the stairs?”
“Yeah, I’m good, Mom.” He lifted his foot to the first step and let out a deep groan.
“Danny, lean your weight on me. I got you,” Noah whispered. “Erin, you go ahead of us and clear the way.”
Erin rushed up the stairs. Noah and Danny seemed to understand each other and worked in unison as they slowly made it up each step. Not knowing what to say or do, Elizabeth followed behind Noah.
In less than five minutes, Danny lay comfortable in his own bed. Noah stepped back and leaned against a dresser. His very presence seemed to overwhelm the small room. But for once, Elizabeth wanted him there. His gentleness had been such a surprise. She could have helped Danny up the stairs on her own, but it would have taken so much out of each of them.
“What can I get you?” she asked, placing her hands behind her back so Danny didn’t notice the trembling.
“I’m good. Just a little tired.”
She eased down onto the bed and brushed away the hair that slipped down over his eyes. She ached to pull him into her arms and make all this go away. Instead, she shoved down her panic and planted a smile on her lips. “If you change your mind, I’m right across the hall.”
“I’m camping out on the floor,” Erin said, sitting on the other side of the bed. “That’s okay, right, Danny? We can watch a movie until you fall asleep.”
“Yeah, that’ll be cool.”
A slight sense of calm brushed over Elizabeth. At least Erin would be close if Danny needed anything. She would give anything to do the same. But what thirteen-year-old wanted his mom camping out on the floor of his room?
Leaning down, she kissed her son’s forehead. He had stopped giving her good-night kisses two years ago. But for once, he didn’t seem to mind her acting like a
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