Chapter 65

“Yeah,” Avery says, though he doesn’t want Jacob to leave him. Once Jacob is in that office, Avery has an irrational fear that he’ll never see his boy again. But his mother’s right. Jacob needs to be in there, listening to what they say about him. He needs to have a chance to tell his story.

Before he can stop himself, he reaches past Jacob and raps on the door. The sound is hard and echoes through the wood. When the door opens, he guides Jacob inside.

Mrs. Smithson sits in the chair where Avery sat when he spoke with the monsignor. Johnny sits on the floor, rolling his car around in circles on the carpet by his mother’s feet. The monsignor is still at his desk, a Jedi Knight in his priestly garb. He looks up over his glasses as the two boys enter. “Mr. Smithson,” he says in his breathy Darth Vader drawl. If he’s surprised to see Jacob, he doesn’t show it. “I see Mr. Dendritch has found you. I assumed he would.”