Silent Son Read Online Free PDF

replied. “I’ve got several people on staff who can see him here,
     then he can continue with someone local when you go back home.”
    “But what can
they
do?” Carole continued.
    The doctor smiled wanly. “Try to make him feel better. Deal with the shock. Ease him back to normalcy.”
    Carole looked at Gardner, then at the doctor again. “But what about his memory? You said he can’t remember. Are the therapists
     going to try to
make
him remember?”
    The doctor glanced down at his chart. “He’ll be given a chance to get it all out,” he said.
    “Why?” Carole asked suddenly. “So he can go to court?” She looked at Gardner. “Are you going to make him testify? Is that
     what you’re trying to do?”
    Gardner tightened his jaw. “No!” He hadn’t even thought about it. So far they had no suspects and no case. Court was the last
     thing on his mind.
    “Promise me you won’t make him testify,” Carole said.
    “God, Carole—” Gardner answered.
    “Promise me!”
    The doctor stood up. The conversation had gone past him. “Unless you have other questions about the boy’s treatment…”
    “Thank you for all you’ve done,” Gardner said.
    “Yes, thanks,” Carole echoed.
    The doctor left Gardner and Carole alone in the room. “Please tell me you won’t make him go to court,” Carole repeated.
    “I’m not planning to,” Gardner said hesitantly.
    “But you might?” Carole asked.
    Gardner did not answer.
    Brownie entered the main lobby of University Hospital. It was 10:15 A.M. and he’d pulled an all-nighter. The Miller lead had
     not panned out. Roscoe had stonewalled it in interrogation, and Brownie had to admit to himself that the link between the
     shotgun shells and Bowers Corner was just speculation. They were not even sure that any shells had been taken from the store.
     Even the preliminary forensic work came up negative. After several tedious hours at the station. Brownie had to let Roscoe
     Miller go. Then he made the three-hour drive to Baltimore.
    He had an 11:00 A.M . appointment at the medical examiner’s office to observe the autopsies of Addie and Henry. But first,
     he wanted to stop by the intensive care unit to check on Gardner and Granville. According to the doctor he’d spoken to earlier
     on the phone, things were looking up.
    The elevator carried Brownie to the ninth floor.
    Brownie spotted Carole at the end of the long hall, and ran down. He spoke politely to her, and moved on to find Gardner by
     Granville’s bed.
    “How’re ya feelin’, young man?” Brownie asked.
    “Head kinda hurts…” Granville replied.
    “Think this might make it better?” Brownie pulled out a giant chocolate bar from his uniform coat pocket.
    Granville’s eyes widened.
    “Don’t know if he’s allowed quite yet,” Gardner said.
    Brownie pretended not to hear. He began to peel the foil from one end.
    Carole entered the room, and looked over his shoulder. “Maybe we should ask the doctor,” she said softly.
    Brownie kept peeling, then broke off a small piece of milk chocolate and extended it toward Granville’s mouth.
    Gardner and Carole looked at the child. His face was beaming, his eyes the brightest they’d seen since he woke up.
    Brownie put the candy in Granville’s mouth. Then he looked at Gardner and winked. “This boy’s gonna be just fine.”
    Brownie had now gone over twenty-four hours without sleep, and he was starting to fade. After the autopsy, he could get some
     rest at the University Inn, where the county had reserved him a room. But until then he had to try to stay alert, to see if
     the bodies contained any clues that might help him get the investigation back on track.
    The medical examiner’s facility was located in the subbasement of University Hospital. As Brownie entered, the odors of chemicals
     and death entered his nostrils, and revived him like a shot of ammonia. It was an eerie place, deep underground, lit by greenish
     fluorescent tubes. On more