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I glanced in e black truck behind --and said "Yes" in the tersest voice I couldet a uniform over to Gibbs’s apartment to check on hi a flock of suicidal birds I swerved and ducked behind the steering wheel, because that would help "Not really What?"

"It o" His voice had changed, becouilty I read the reports and the court transcripts Anyone would have done the same"

"He didn’t … I didn’t listen to hi to tell e that popped into my mind Reyes at twenty, accused of murder, all alone with no friends, no relatives, no one to turn to He’d forbidden the only person in his life--his sister, Ki to be put on trial for a murder he clearly didn’t commit Where was a tiht We had to "We have a chance to redee silence, he said, "How do you pay back ten years, Charley?"

My heart broke at the guilt in his voice I was actually surprised by it He’d done his job No one would deny that Unless he knewon Surely not "Earl Walker is apparently really good at covering his tracks No one will blame you for this"

He scoffed "Reyes Farroill"

Yes, I supposed he would I could just i hiation rooer and confusion "What was he like?" I asked Ubie before really thinking about the question, what it ht do to him

"I don’t know, pu on the streets"

Before I could stop it, a hand covered e My left knee instinctively rose to steer Misery until I could lead my hand back to the wheel I totally needed a hands-free phone accessory

"He said he didn’t do it Once And then never spoke toin my eyes couldn’t be helped That was so like Reyes Stubborn Rebellious And yet, iven up, like an aniured, Why bother? Why fight back?

"But it was the way he said it," Uncle Bob continued, his mind clearly lost in another ti, so powerful, the weight of it was like a punch to the gut, and said si Not another word No talk of lawyers, rights, food … He just shut down"

My lips pressed together hard as I drove "We can fix this, Uncle Bob," I said,

"No, we can’t" He seemed resolved to the fact that Reyes would hate hirabbed him"

Startled, I asked, "You what?"

"By the shirt collar At one point in the interrogation, I was so frustrated, I lifted hiainst the wall"

"Uncle Bob!" I said, not really sure what else to say and realizing he was lucky to be alive

"He did nothing," Ubie continued, oblivious "Just stared atjust beneath the surface In all the years since, that look has haunted otten hi, Uncle Bob"