Chapter 2 - THE ANSWER HE COULDN'T SAY
Carmine took Leo upstairs.
Helena followed.
"This is ridiculous," she said. "You're turning a lesson into a crime scene."
Carmine ignored her.
In Leo's bathroom, he helped his son out of the wet sweatshirt and saw a bruise near his upper arm.
"Where did this come from?"
Leo pulled the sleeve down.
"I bumped the door."
Helena appeared behind them.
"See? Kids bruise."
"I wasn't asking you."
That landed harder than shouting.
Helena folded her arms.
"I have been taking care of this house while you're gone. Maybe say thank you."
"Did she grab you?"
Leo's eyes moved toward the doorway.
Carmine noticed.
He closed the bathroom door in Helena's face.
She hit it once with her palm.
"Carmine."
He locked it.
Then he sat on the edge of the tub.
"Leo, look at me."
His son did.
"You are not in trouble."
"What if somebody else gets in trouble?"
"That depends on what they did."
Leo's mouth trembled.
"She said if I tell you things, you'll send me away."
Carmine felt something cold move through his body.
"Send you where?"
"Boarding school."
Outside, Helena called, "This is insane."
He opened the door.
Carmine said, "Pack a bag."
"What?"
"For tonight. Guest house."
"This is my home."
"It's my son's home first."
"You are choosing a seven-year-old's fantasy over me?"
Carmine's voice lowered.
"I'm choosing distance until I know what happened."
Helena pushed past him.
"This is exactly what his mother did. She made him weak, and now you're doing it too."
Carmine stepped between them.
"Don't talk about Elena."
Helena's eyes flashed.
"Why? Because dead women can't be criticized?"
Helena realized too late she had crossed something old and sacred.
May you like
Then Leo whispered, "Daddy... she says Mom died because she was careless."
Helena took one step back.
