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Prologue

Bronx, New York August 1950

The boy sat in the openand watched the baseball game in the vacant lot across the street

He should be down there, playing, he thought Not stuck in here

He'd earned the right to play He was sht years old, but he'd shown theile, and no patsy, fighting

They called hi After all, truth was truth

Noas going to have to go soroup of kids

Well, if that hat it took

He tried to ignore the conversation going on behind hie nun were looking over Jamie's few possessions

"This is all?"

"The girl was a stenographer They hardly accumulate wealth" Father Nolan's voice was dry

"The boy—conceived in adultery, born in sin—he'll need special supervision The sins of the father"

"Sister, I knew the boy's father Both he and the ood, decent boy, killed in the Pacific in defense of his country He irl, I know it Wartimes aren't like other times"

Father Nolan knew he had been too lenient with his parish during the war, but life had been harsh enough thensurely any expression of love

"Sin is sin Well, is this everything?" Her voice was brisk, businesslike

"Yes" Father Nolan's heart sank He had dreaded this moment for a week now, since the visit that confir And she was frantic at leaving Jamie

"Jamie Come here, lad"

Sighing, Jao with Father Nolan Jamie had known the tall, white-haired priest all his life, and he was tired of staying with the Carters next door They were tired of him, too, Mrs Carter had informed him

"It was just the Christian thing to do," she said, "while Colleen was in the hospital And it certainly isn't permanent "

Father Nolan knelt, put his hands on Jao with Sister Mary Joseph now You'll be with other hoys who have no parents, well-looked after, you'll go to school"

Ja nun What was happening? Father Nolan was supposed look after him now

"But you promised Colleen you'd take care of me," Jamie wanted to say—he'd been there, he had heard His mother had whispered, "Take care of Jamie," and Father Nolan whispered, "Yes"

And now the priest was handing hier

But Jah with that He wouldn't cry again, ever

She had gone and died on hihts he'd had because of her—because he had no dad—and she too, had promised him, "I won't leave you, Jamie"

Jareat betrayal that week The two people he trusted most had lied to him

Father Nolan straightened The nuns had a reputation for strictness, but surely they'd be kind to hiht wheat-colored hair, his large golden-hazel eyes; very solee, quiet, but when he sot that from his mother

Perhaps it would do hiood, Father Nolan tried to reason The boy could use a little discipline—histo make it up to him

"What's this?" the nun said sharply

She pulled at the chain around Jamie's neck, lifted it and the crucifix over his head

"Sister!" Father Nolan said sharply "There's no need for such roughness!"

"T-t-that's m-mine," Jamie choked out, his first stammer He'd rather do that than cry

Hisit around his neck the last time he saw her

"Wear it always and remember to say your prayers, Jamie Ask our dear Lord to protect you It's our hope of heaven, Jamie"

He didn't want to wear it—necklaces were for girls—but he'd hid it in his shirt to please her

"You give it b-b-back!"

The nun turned the crucifix in the sun

Sold Set with a diamond and three rubies

"Hardly a toy for a child," she said, "and when you think about how e needs "

"Sister, it was the father's grands to the boy"

"It is not only traditional but necessary that all valuables be donated to the orphanage Charities ift the Lord provides"

She put the chain and crucifix in her s Jamie watched it disappear forever

Father Nolan put his hand on Jaood boy now And mind your temper"

Father Nolan knew the boy's reputation for fighting—if Jaht, he would not have behaved so—

The sailor lad, the father, had been one of the kindest boys he'd known

"He'll be good, all right We'll see to that," th

e nun said firmly

Ja only a little when the nun thrust his bags at him

He followed her without a word Never once looked back He'd lost his hope of heaven

Interview

Terrace View Asylum, Delaware January 1967

"So, Jamie, you've had a feeeks to adjust to Terrace Vie do you like it so far?"

Dr McDevitt looked at the youngauntness, the listlessness of his posture, the shadows around his shifting eyes

He kept wringing his hands together

"It's okay," Ja up

Dr McDevitt wasn't insulted at Ja a well-run sanitarium wasn't any better than that state institutional hellhole, Eastern State, where he'd been for the last fewman probably couldn't tell one place from another After all, he only recently could remember his name And the brutal way he had been transferred hereDr McDevitt was sure it had set his progress back for weeks

"Grenville Hawkes asked that you be placed here Do you remember Grenville Hawkes?"

Jamie shook his head

"You used to work for him—he wanted to make sure you received the best treat for Grenville Hawkes, back in Hawkes Harbor?"

Dr McDevitt thought he discerned a se in tone, as he said, "No"

Dr McDevitt glanced across the scanty ot to sign his name, had made a note that this was one of the worst cases of depression he'd ever tried to treat—it was no doubt a , the patient would wake having no et his own name by afternoon So, the report stated

Not , not treatment

Dr McDevitt wished he had round Jamie had been transferred here abruptly, at the insistence of Louisa Kahne Her grandfather Johnas Kahne had founded and still technically ruled Terrace View (The commonly held view, and joke, was that the esteeeny had a place to live; and out of all his swarhter was perhaps the most likely candidate)

"Money is no proble a room "A favor for a friend ofsome day this week Yes, yes, I know, you're not accustomed to patients from the criminally insane ward at Eastern State, but crazy is crazy, after all"

No other instructions Only a short note, and the deposit from Grenville Hawkes, followed in the mail