“This isn’t a police interview,” Andee reminded him. “We’re just establishing that you know who Huxley-Browne is and that you and your uncle had contact with him over a period of time for reasons unconnected to the fire.”

Looking panicked again, Archie said, “You’re asking me to be a snitch and I just can’t do that. Sorry,” he said to Marcy, “I get where you’re coming from but if you knew what happened to snitches in here . . . Someone would put the word out and . . .” His voice trailed off as his eyes returned to his hands, leaving them to imagine what kind of horrors and abuse he might face if he helped them.

Andee was not ready to give up yet. “If we can’t keep Huxley-Browne in prison by connecting him to the fire, he’ll be free in a few weeks, and if he does still wish Claudia harm, he could try to approach her. We have to do what we can to stop him. Would you agree with that?”

Archie’s eyes went to Claudia, his face pinched with anxiety and indecision.

“Archie, look at me,” Marcy said softly.

He flinched, clearly knowing why she wanted him to meet her eyes, but he couldn’t do it.

“I understand about your mother,” Marcy told him, “but if your uncle is taken into custody, we really believe she can be kept safe. We just need you to do the same for us by admitting that my son-in-law was the one who ordered the crime you committed . . .”

“I can’t because I don’t know . . .”

Andee said, “But you do believe it was him?”

He said nothing.

“If I can persuade you to confirm that you’ve had dealings with Huxley-Browne in the past,” Andee continued, “I can talk to a detective . . .”

“No, just not going to happen,” he cut in, jerking back in his chair.

“The detective I’m referring to,” Andee pressed on, “knows all about Claudia and why she left her husband. He hasn’t in all this time revealed her whereabouts, because he considers her safety to be more important than exposing why she left. This means there’s no evidence that Claudia was ill-treated, so he can’t do anything to protect her once Huxley-Browne comes out. But if there’s even the slightest suspicion that her husband was behind the fire it should be grounds for an investigation at least, and could also be enough to get a restraining order put on him.”

To Claudia Archie said, “It’s not that I don’t want you to be protected, I swear I do, but if it ever got out that I . . .”