The streets were clean, with green roadsides, covered with Easter flowers. Through the side window of her car Catherine looked at the mansion Martha Rosely had lived in before her attack. The front yard had Easter flowers in it too. She got out of her car and started ringing doorbells. By the time she had covered most of the block she started to lose hope. Martha's neighbors were all quite friendly, but no one had seen anything. She was about ready to head back to her car when a window across the street drew her attention. Behind it a young boy stood staring at her. She could immediately recognize the sadness in his eyes. This boy had been through an ordeal. Still, he seemed to call out to her, so she crossed the street and rang the doorbell. When no one answered she rang it again, a bit longer this time. Finally, the door opened, and the boy stood in front of her.
"Hi," she said in a gently voice. "My name is Cathy. What's yours?"
"Tommy."
"Hi Tommy. Are your parents home?"
"My dad died," the kid answered. "My mom's at work."
Catherine's heart went out to the boy, who was obviously very unhappy.
"Did you know mrs Rosely?" she tried. "The lady who lived across the street?"
Tommy shrugged.
"Are you a friend of hers?"
"I'm trying to catch the man who hurt her."
The boy seemed nervous.
"Did you see anything happen to her?"
The boy shook his head, but he avoided all eye contact.
"Tommy …"
Catherine took a wild guess:
"The man who put mrs Rosely in a wheelchair is not your father. You know that, don't you?"
Tommy glanced at her. Then he nodded.
"He knew things about dad," he said, "but he didn't feel like him."
"What did he tell you?"
Tommy's face had lost all color.
"He said he'd make sure dad went to hell if I ever told anyone what I saw."
He hesitated for a moment.
"But I don't think he can do that, can he?"
"No, Tommy. He certainly can't."
She sighed.
"You saw him push her."
Tommy nodded.
"I saw him through my window. He came up from behind mrs Rosely and pushed her down the stairs."