Part 60 (2/2)

”Kesseiring. Lieutenant Kesselring.”

”The lieutenant needs to ask you some questions.” She made no move. She

barely breathed. ”Bev, please.”

Perhaps it was the despair in his voice that reached down deep to where

she had.tried to hide herself. Her hand moved restlessly in his. For a

moment she closed her eyes, held them closed, wis.h.i.+ng with all her heart

that she was dead. Then she opened them again and looked straight at

Lou.

”What do you want to know?”

”Everything you can tell me about that night.”

”My son was dead,” she said flatly. ”What else matters?”

”Something you tell me could help me find who killed your son, Mrs.

McAvoy.”

”Will that bring Darren back to me?”

”No.”

”I don't feel anything anymore.” She stared at him with huge, tired

eyes. ”I don't feel my legs or my arms or my head. When I try to feel

it hurts. So it's best not to try, isn't it?”

”Maybe, for a while.” He drew up a chair beside the bed. ”But if you

could tell me what you remember from that night?”

She let her head fall back and stared up at the ceiling. Her monotone

description of the party was similar to her husband's, and to those of

the others Lou had interviewed. Familiar faces, strange faces, people

coming in, going out. Someone on the kitchen phone ordering pizza.

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