Chapter 63

“Well, he wasn’t the first one,” she said, sadly. “First one was a few years back, the one they arrested Stahl for. I’m not one to gossip, but Stahl has a temper, ‘specially when he’s been drinking. Broke that boy’s arm, bad, put him out of work for months. And it might’ve been worse if the cops hadn’t intervened. And then, poor Jeffrey, always wearing bandages and limping around all the time. Lorraine, she would have been very shocked, I’m sure. Some boys just go a bit crazy without theirmothers to keep them in line. Maybe he’s past it now. But you keep it in mind, y’hear? Don’t let him get ‘hold of you.”

Something cold settled into the pit of Andy’s stomach. Don’t jump to conclusions, he told himself. People like to gossip. That was true. That was solid advice. But it wasn’t louder than the alarm bells and the shrieking NEVER AGAIN and the throb of phantom pain in his cheek and long-healed arm.