Jason to a chair. She glanced at the stairs, as if afraid Kevin would appear too soon. “Since Kevin imagines he fell earlier in the day, he doesn’t remember Dixie was here. So he doesn’t know that she’s... That she died.”
“Deidre, you don’t believe you can keep it from him, do you? Kevin could hear about it from almost anyone. Lord knows the whole town’s been talking about nothing else.” Carmichaels looked disapproving, and Jason had to agree with him on this one. What was she thinking?
“I know he has to be told.” Deidre’s color was high, and there was a stubborn look to the way her chin was set. “But I thought it was best if he heard it in his own home. I’ll tell him soon, but you’ll have to respect my decision as to when and how.”
That was Jason’s cue to do his job. “If we don’t have your assurance that you won’t mention the James woman’s death in the boy’s presence, then I’m afraid I can’t allow you to question him.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out.” Carmichaels shrugged heavy shoulders. “Okay, I won’t say anything about her death. But he’s a smart kid. He’s going to figure it out soon enough.”
“All right, then.” Deidre seemed ready to accept the chief’s word. “I’ll get him.” She walked to the bottom of the steps and clutched the newel post. “Kevin, come down for a minute, please.”
It said something about the way she’d brought up her son that he didn’t embark on a shouted argument. Instead, he appeared at the top of the steps.
“Don’t run,” she said quickly, and he suspected that the words had become a kind of talisman for her. If she could keep him from running, she could keep him safe. Deidre wouldn’t believe that rationally, but the instinct was still there.
“Okay, Mommy.” Kevin put his hand on the railing, sliding it down all the way to the bottom.
“Remember, I told you Chief Carmichaels wanted to ask you a few questions about your accident, Kev.” She led him to the table, one hand on his shoulder.
Kevin didn’t look upset at the prospect, but when Deidre sat down and held out her arms, he climbed into her lap and leaned against her.
“This won’t take long, Kevin. Then you can go back and play, okay?” Carmichaels was clearly making an effort to keep it low-key.
Kevin nodded, his expression wary.
“Well, now, what can you tell me about your accident? Just say anything you remember.”
Kevin leaned against his mother, turning his head to look up into her face. She nodded in encouragement. “It’s all right. Just tell the chief what you remember.”
“I remember climbing in the apple tree,” he said promptly.
At Carmichaels’s baffled look, Deidre explained, “That happened earlier in the day. It seems to be the last thing he remembers.”
“You don’t remember being on the steps in your pajamas?”
Kevin shook his head. Again he looked up at his mother. “Is that where I fell?”
“That’s it. You must have tripped on your blanket and tumbled down.” She kept her voice even, but Jason could see that it was a struggle.
“Let’s go back a little bit,” Carmichaels said. “What did you have for supper?”
Clearly Kevin didn’t like not knowing the answer. His face scrunched up. “I don’t know.”
“Do you remember that Dixie was coming to stay with you?”
Jason thought Deidre stiffened at the mention of Dixie, but she didn’t interrupt.
“No.” He twisted to look up at his mother again. “Did Dixie watch me that night, Mommy?”
She stroked his hair. “Yes, sweetie, she did.”
“That’s easy, then.” Kevin’s face relaxed in a smile. “You just ask Dixie what happened. She’ll tell you.”
Before Carmichaels could speak, Jason rose. “I think that’s enough, Chief. Kevin can’t help you.”
“Maybe if we talked a little more...”
“No.” Deidre put both arms around her son as if shielding him. “No more.”
“That’s it.” Jase defied the man to argue. Deidre was within her rights. “The doctor who tended Kevin will tell you that he shouldn’t be pushed to remember.”
Carmichaels planted his hands on the table and pushed himself to his feet. “Okay. You’ve made your point. Thanks for talking to me, Kevin.”
The boy nodded, but then he burrowed his head against his mother’s chest. Her arms tightened around him.
“I’ll show you out.” Jason conducted Carmichaels to the door. In a way, he sympathized with the man’s frustration. He had a murder to solve, and the only potential witness couldn’t remember. But Jason had to protect his client, even if it threw a roadblock in the way of the investigation.
When he’d closed the door behind the police chief, Jason turned back into the room. He was just in time to hear Kevin’s voice, trembling a little. “Mommy, why did everyone look so funny when I said to ask Dixie? She’d know what happened. Why don’t you ask her?”
Tears shone in Deidre’s eyes, but she managed to maintain her calm. “I’m afraid we can’t. You see, Dixie got hurt that night, too.”
He looked up at her, frowning a little as if he struggled to understand. “Did she go to the hospital, like me?”
“Yes. She went in an ambulance, like you did. But she was hurt a lot worse than you were, Kev.” She stroked his head, and Jason could see her fingers shaking. “I’m afraid Dixie didn’t make it. She died.”
Kevin didn’t move for a moment. Then his lips began to tremble, and tears welled in his eyes. “Like...like Daddy?”
A spasm of pain crossed Deidre’s face. “Yes. Like Daddy.”
Kevin began to cry...huge, wrenching sobs that shook his whole body. He buried his face against his mother’s chest, clinging to her.
Deidre held him close, rocking back and forth. Above her son’s head, Deidre’s gaze met his, and Jason saw the anguish there. It ripped at his own heart, too.
* * *
ONCE KEVIN WAS tucked up in bed that evening, Deidre found it impossible just to kiss him good-night and leave the room. Usually he was the one who tried to prolong bedtime. Now it was she who suggested another story, another song.
But when he drifted off in the middle of a favorite book, she knew she had to let him rest. If she curled up on the bed next to him, as she very much wanted to do, she’d be telling him there was something to be afraid of. She couldn’t plant that idea in his mind.
Bending down, Deidre kissed Kevin’s soft cheek. He snuggled into the pillow, and
