desire to steer clear of him. He deserved it. He’d treated her abominably and he didn’t deserve her kindness or forgiveness. But it hurt just the same.
He pulled his hand back, ran it through his hair and sighed heavily.
“I believe that being in familiar surroundings is the best thing for Jeremy. He is barely holding it together. I know he won’t understand why his family isn’t there, but their belongings will be…and his belongings…and I believe it will help him recover.”
She continued to stare at him, her arms wrapped tightly and protectively around her body.
“Think about it, Liz. If he did witness the murder, it might trigger memories for him. You might find out something useful for your investigation.” Adam caught her gaze with his. “Don’t you want a professional with him when he begins to deal with his loss? I intend to be there with Jeremy. I will help him through it, I promise.”
“You’re moving into the house, too?”
“Yes, of course. Someone has to be with the boy until I feel we can safely transition him to a more permanent placement.”
He could tell from the expression on her face that she was carefully weighing his words.
“Trust me.”
Her eyes flashed at his words. “Trust you? Like my family trusted your father with my brother, Luke? Like I trusted you before…before…”
If she had slapped him with every ounce of strength in her body, it couldn’t have hurt more. He knew she wasn’t trying to hurt him. She was reacting to her own pain and not thinking. The words probably popped out of her mouth before she even knew what she was going to say.
But words can be as lethal as weapons and once spoken can’t be erased.
Adam put up his own protective shield. He hardened his body language and the tone of his voice.
“Sheriff, it is my professional opinion that Jeremy Henderson needs to be in familiar surroundings in order to be able to process through his trauma. It will also give state officials time to work on a more permanent living situation for him, with people trained in dealing with his special needs. I am hoping not to get any opposition from the sheriff’s department on this move. However, I am perfectly willing to get a court order if you insist.”
“I think you are making a terrible mistake, Adam.” Her eyes pleaded for understanding.
“Jeremy isn’t Luke.”
“You think I don’t know that? The situation is totally different.”
“That’s right, Liz, it is.” He waited, giving her the time she needed to think things through and come to grips with the situation.
She searched his eyes for some sort of reassurance. “You’re moving into the house with him? You promise that he will never have to go through anything alone.”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Let me make a call. If Davenport is finished, you can have the cleaning crew go into the house today.” She took a step toward him, her body taut, her posture threatening. “I don’t want there to be anything, not one tiny thing, left behind to remind that child of the violence that happened in that house.”
“Consider it done.”
Adam could read her expression like an open book. She was struggling with the question of whether or not she could trust him.
They stood in the hospital hallway simply staring at each other. The minutes ticked away while her heart battled with her head. He knew from the steely glint in her eyes when she’d reached her decision—and somehow he didn’t think he was going to like it.
“I’ll meet you tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.”
“That’s not necessary, Liz. I can drive the boy myself.”
“If you don’t want to be forced into court for a ruling on this, then you’ll do things my way.” Her body language told him that her terms were nonnegotiable. “I am going to make sure nothing happens to that boy physically or emotionally. I will not let you repeat the damage your father did to Luke or to my family. I will be driving you to the house. Is that
He pulled his hand back, ran it through his hair and sighed heavily.
“I believe that being in familiar surroundings is the best thing for Jeremy. He is barely holding it together. I know he won’t understand why his family isn’t there, but their belongings will be…and his belongings…and I believe it will help him recover.”
She continued to stare at him, her arms wrapped tightly and protectively around her body.
“Think about it, Liz. If he did witness the murder, it might trigger memories for him. You might find out something useful for your investigation.” Adam caught her gaze with his. “Don’t you want a professional with him when he begins to deal with his loss? I intend to be there with Jeremy. I will help him through it, I promise.”
“You’re moving into the house, too?”
“Yes, of course. Someone has to be with the boy until I feel we can safely transition him to a more permanent placement.”
He could tell from the expression on her face that she was carefully weighing his words.
“Trust me.”
Her eyes flashed at his words. “Trust you? Like my family trusted your father with my brother, Luke? Like I trusted you before…before…”
If she had slapped him with every ounce of strength in her body, it couldn’t have hurt more. He knew she wasn’t trying to hurt him. She was reacting to her own pain and not thinking. The words probably popped out of her mouth before she even knew what she was going to say.
But words can be as lethal as weapons and once spoken can’t be erased.
Adam put up his own protective shield. He hardened his body language and the tone of his voice.
“Sheriff, it is my professional opinion that Jeremy Henderson needs to be in familiar surroundings in order to be able to process through his trauma. It will also give state officials time to work on a more permanent living situation for him, with people trained in dealing with his special needs. I am hoping not to get any opposition from the sheriff’s department on this move. However, I am perfectly willing to get a court order if you insist.”
“I think you are making a terrible mistake, Adam.” Her eyes pleaded for understanding.
“Jeremy isn’t Luke.”
“You think I don’t know that? The situation is totally different.”
“That’s right, Liz, it is.” He waited, giving her the time she needed to think things through and come to grips with the situation.
She searched his eyes for some sort of reassurance. “You’re moving into the house with him? You promise that he will never have to go through anything alone.”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Let me make a call. If Davenport is finished, you can have the cleaning crew go into the house today.” She took a step toward him, her body taut, her posture threatening. “I don’t want there to be anything, not one tiny thing, left behind to remind that child of the violence that happened in that house.”
“Consider it done.”
Adam could read her expression like an open book. She was struggling with the question of whether or not she could trust him.
They stood in the hospital hallway simply staring at each other. The minutes ticked away while her heart battled with her head. He knew from the steely glint in her eyes when she’d reached her decision—and somehow he didn’t think he was going to like it.
“I’ll meet you tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.”
“That’s not necessary, Liz. I can drive the boy myself.”
“If you don’t want to be forced into court for a ruling on this, then you’ll do things my way.” Her body language told him that her terms were nonnegotiable. “I am going to make sure nothing happens to that boy physically or emotionally. I will not let you repeat the damage your father did to Luke or to my family. I will be driving you to the house. Is that
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