Page 18 (1/2)

She was counting on the fact that he wouldn’t be savvy enough, at four, even four going on forty, to see that

He didn’t answer His hand stilled on the truck, but he didn’t let go of it

“You don’t lie, remember?” she said

He sat there

“Has someone told you that?”

The next tilanced up, there were tears in his eyes She had her answer

“Levi”

“Do I gotta tell?” His lower lip trembled

“Yeah” She nodded “But you don’t have to tell me what you can’t tell Just who told you not to”

He didn’t say anything more So she tried to make it easier on him

“Was it your daddy?”

Chin on his knee, he shook his head

“Was it Mara at school?”

Another shake of his head

“Someone else at school?”