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“Thank you.”
Sam followed the sound of the TV and stepped into the room where the young man sat on a sofa with a bowl of popcorn next to him and a bottle of Coke on the table in front of him.
He sat up straighter when he saw her, and then his eyes widened when he realized who she was. “Damn,” he said. “They sent the big boss.”
“I wasn’t sent,” she said with a smile that she hoped would put him at ease. “I came on my own.” She pointed to a chair. “May I?”
His expression was uncertain as he nodded and paused the movie. “Am I in trouble? I know I shouldn’t have been in the house—”
“No, Isaiah. You’re not in trouble. I came because I want to help you.”
Now he looked confused. “You want to help me? Why?”
“I read your file.”
“Oh.”
“I’m sorry for all the difficulties you’ve had.”
He shrugged as if it was no big deal, when it was the biggest of deals.
“Do you remember Mr. Blanchet’s mother?”
“Grammy B. Yeah, I remember her. She was always nice to me.”
“She said she’d like to see you and maybe offer you a place to stay while you finish school. What would you think of that?”
“She really said that?”
Sam nodded.
“She must be so sad that they died.”
“She sure is, and she thought that maybe the two of you could help each other. Would you like to see her?”
He thought about it for a second. “I think so.”
“I’ll let her know and set up a visit.”
“How long do I have to stay here?”
“We’re talking to the Assistant U.S. Attorney about how we might secure your testimony in advance of the trial so we can settle you in a new home sooner rather than later. So maybe just a little while longer, okay?”
Isaiah nodded. “They want me to tell them what I saw, right?”
“Yes. Is that okay?”
“If it means the people who killed my family will go to jail.”
“That’s what it means.”
“I still loved them, you know?”
“I do. I know that. That’s why you wanted to stay close to them.”
“I should’ve done something when I saw what was happening. I keep thinking about what I could’ve done.”
“If the Cortezes had known you were there, they would’ve killed you, too.”
