The Hiding Place by David Bell Page A

her answer. She had said the same thing so many times over the years—to the police, to the prosecutor, to other reporters and the parole board—that she didn’t even have to think about it. She just said it—
yes
. But had she really? Did she know anymore that she had seen Dante Rogers in the park?
    “You saw Dante with your brother, right?”
    Yes, she did. Janet closed her eyes for just a moment, and she saw the image: the park on that hot summer day. And there was her brother with a black man she had never seen before. That picture was always there in her mind, available for easy summoning.
    But did she really see it? How could she know after all this time? And why would someone else—the man on the porch—claim to know otherwise? And why would Michael ask that question at work?
    What do you think really happened that day, Janet?
    Janet opened her eyes. “A lot of people saw Dante in the park that day. He was there, and so were we.”
    “And let me just be clear,” Kate said, “Dante has never denied being in the park when Justin disappeared. Never.”
    “But he denies killing Justin.”
    “I totally understand that this is tough,” Kate said.
Totally.
Kate shifted in her seat a little, scooted closer to the edge of the couch, so that Janet thought Kate might reach out and take her hand. “Now, do you remember what happened next? I mean, when did you notice that Justin wasn’t there?”
    Janet found herself easing back a little, away from Kate. Something about Kate’s behavior seemed too familiar, too cloying, and she knew the young woman just wanted to get a good story. She probably hoped Janet would cry so the opening line of the feature would read,
Through heavy tears, Janet Manning remembered her brother today…
    “I’m not really sure about that part.”
    “Did you notice it, or did someone tell you?” Kate asked.
    “I’m just not sure,” Janet said. “I know Michael was there. I know I must have mentioned it to Michael. Then a bunch of adults were there. My mom. Michael’s dad. All of the adults and the police and the reporters…” She felt the tears misting her eyes, saw the room swim in her vision a little. She fought back against them, refused to give in.
Don’t be an ass,
she told herself.
You’re not saying anything new here.
She took a quick swipe at her eye with the knuckle of her right index finger, thenstraightened up. She saw Kate clearly in her vision. “He was just gone then. Gone.”
    Kate nodded. Her mouth was pressed into a tight, sympathetic line.
I feel your pain,
the young reporter’s look said.
I get it.
    But she didn’t. It was just an act, and Janet knew it. Just like all the people at work and in the town and even Detective Stynes. None of them really understood it. Only Michael. He was there…
    “Why don’t I turn to you then, Detective,” Kate said. “I really appreciate the two of you talking to me together—”
    “I want to say one more thing,” Janet said.
    Kate nodded. “Of course.”
    “I’ve been meaning to say this for a while, so I want to say it now. I hope you can work it into the story.”
    “I’ll try.”
    “I do have one regret about all of this,” Janet said. “It’s that my mother and brother aren’t buried next to each other. We buried Justin in one part of the cemetery, and when Mom died there weren’t any plots next to Justin. And we can’t afford to move him. I want to see that done someday. I know she’d want it that way. They both would.”
    Kate kept right on nodding. “That’s really powerful,” she said. “And I totally get it. I’ll try to work it in.”
    “Thanks,” Janet said.
    “Okay,” Kate said, turning to Stynes. “I guess it’s your turn now.” She gave him a flirtatious smile. “Was this a tough case to investigate?”
    “Of course. The disappearance or death of a child is always difficult.”
    “Right,” Kate said. “And have there been a lot of cases like this in Dove Point? I just moved