Cal Rogan Mysteries, Books 1, 2 & 3 (Box Set) by Robert P. French

Author:Robert P. French [French, Robert P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robert P. French
Published: 2018-10-20T22:00:00+00:00

17

Cal

I cannot even begin to imagine how I would handle it if Ellie were like this. Michael is a lovely little kid but he seems somehow cut off from the world. At the moment he is sitting cross-legged in the Chan’s living room applying his full concentration to a glittery purple car in his hand. It is radio-controlled but he is just holding it up and watching the rear wheels spin. The sunlight from the window is shining on the wheels and reflecting off the turning hubs. He is swaying back and forth, as if in time to slow, gentle music that only he can hear.

I turn my attention to his mother. She is looking with love at her son but I can see the sadness underneath.

“Thank you for seeing me so quickly, Mrs. Chan. When I was here before, with Detective Stammo, Michael was repeating the letters O – B – O – E. We have reason to believe that this may have some relevance to what happened to Terry and I’d like to ask him about it.”

“Of course,” she smiles and I can see that a great well of kindness lives inside her. “If you ask me the questions, I’ll do my best to get Michael to answer them.” She gets up, takes a piece of paper from the coffee table and crouches beside her son. She puts the paper in his line of sight.

“Remember what we agreed, Michael?” She points to a picture on the paper, like the first frame in a comic strip. “First, you play with your car.” Her finger moves to the second frame. “Then we talk to the detective.” Her finger moves on. “Then you have two chocolate chip cookies.” She takes the car from his hand, switches off the motor and puts it down. Then she scoops him up in her arms and sits back on the couch. He does not venture a look at me but pulls the sleeve of his sweater over his hand and starts rubbing it on the tip of his nose.

Grace Chan looks at me and nods.

“I’d like Michael to tell me what O – B – O – E means.”

Before his mother can say anything he pipes up, “Ssshhhh! It’s a secret. Terry’s my friend.”

“Yes, darling. I know it’s a secret and it’s important to keep secrets,” she says, “but we talked about this. We shouldn’t keep secrets from our parents or from policemen. Do you remember?”

He nods. “Oboe is blood.”

“Oboe is blood? What does that mean, Michael?” I ask.

“I mustn’t say.” He is rubbing his nose faster.

“Why can’t you tell me, Michael?”

He is starting to rock again. “It’s a secret. They’ll hurt Terry if I tell.”

“Who will hurt Terry?” I ask.

“They will, the bad people. They’ll hurt him if we say the whole thing.”

“Who are these bad people, Michael?”

“I don’t know. Ask Terry.” Now his foot is flicking toward me.

“OK, Michael, that’s OK. You don’t have to tell me who they are,” I say. “I only have one more question, OK?”

“OK.

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