Hearing my name from him made my skin crawl.
“Do not speak to the child,” Haines warned.
Noah pressed into my side. “That’s Ethan’s friend.”
I swallowed hard. “Noah, go with Ms. Alvarez.”
Noah clung to me. “But—”
“Now,” I said.
“Why were you talking to my son?”
Ms. Alvarez led him out. The door shut with a click that felt final.
I turned to the man. “Why were you talking to my son?”
He flinched. “I didn’t mean to scare him.”
“You used Ethan’s name. You told my child to keep secrets.”
His shoulders collapsed. “I know.”
Haines said, “State your name.”
“So you found his school.”
“Raymond,” he whispered.
“Why did you approach the child?” Haines asked.
Raymond stared at his hands.
“I saw him at pickup last week. He looks like Ethan.”
My nails dug into my palms. “So you found his school.”
Raymond nodded. “I got the repair job on purpose.”
“So you chose the risk.”
The bluntness punched me. “Why?”
“I can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I’m back in the truck.” He swallowed hard. “I had a condition. Syncope. Fainting spells.”
“And you drove anyway.”
He nodded, tears gathering. “I was supposed to get cleared. Tests. I didn’t go. I couldn’t lose work.”
“So you chose the risk,” I said.
“And my son died.”
“Yes,” he whispered. “I told myself it wouldn’t happen again.”
My voice went flat. “And my son died.”
Raymond’s face crumpled. “Yes.”
I stared at him, heat rising behind my eyes. “And you thought talking to Noah would help who?”
Raymond wiped his face with his sleeve. “Me. I thought if I could do something good… if I could help you stop crying… maybe I could breathe.”
“Ma’am, we can pursue a no-contact order.”
