Eli dutifully got up and went into the kitchen. Decker shouted, “Bring the water here. I don’t want you out of my sight.”

Shai said, “I don’t take drugs—”

“Save your breath, son. This isn’t confession.”

“I swear I don’t. Drugs are dangerous.”

Decker studied the boy. “You’re right about that.”

“But Eli…I’ve known him since we were little kids. I try to look after him. See, he’s under a lot of pressure because his father runs a small Lubavicher shul in North Carolina and lives more there than here. His mother refuses to move ’cause she hates North Carolina. So they’re always fighting about it when he gets home. Now Eli’s mom’s got a full-time job and all the household stuff is falling on Eli’s shoulders ’cause he’s the oldest.”

Eli walked back into the room. He held a pitcher of water—no cup—and his hands were shaking. Decker stood, told the boy to sit. He fetched a glass from the kitchen, poured the water, and made sure the boy drank at least half the pitcher.

A minute later, Eli announced that he had to go to the bathroom. Decker told him that was the idea. After Eli left for a second time, Decker said to Shai, “If you’re his keeper, get him off drugs.”

“I’ve tried and Eli’s tried,” Shai said. “It’s hard. See, when Eli isn’t stoned, he gets real, real nervous and his ulcer starts to act up. One time it acted up so bad, he was in the hospital for a week.” Shai pounded his forehead several times with his fists. “I don’t know what to do. Eli seems to be smoking more and more every month. I’m afraid he’s gonna try something stronger. Then I really won’t know what to do.”

Decker said, “He only uses pot?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re sure?”

Shai paused, then nodded. “That’s what Tony…Hersh sells. Never seen him sell anything stronger and he would if he had it.”

Eli returned. Decker made him finish the rest of the water. Then he pulled out the photograph and said, “You boys ever see this kid with Hersh?”

Both boys looked at the picture, Eli for the second time, Shai for the first. It was Shai who first spoke up.

“I’ve seen him with Ton—Hersh. I was real surprised, because you could tell he was one of us.”

“By one of us,” Decker said, “you mean religious—frum?”

Shai nodded.

Decker turned to Eli. “You’ve seen him with Hersh?”

“Once or twice,” Eli said.

Shai said, “I think he called himself Nolan, but it was obvious that that wasn’t his real name.”

“It’s Noam Levine,” Decker said.

Both boys shrugged.

“Did they seem like good friends?” Decker asked.