“I can’t comment on that, but what Mr. Gill has—what Carl has, it’s a complicated illness, Rowan.”

“Yeah,” I said. “I figured.”

Detective Aiken reached into his pocket and pulled out a notepad. He flipped it open. “Your mother’s not being cooperative with our investigation, but to be frank, we don’t need it. We have enough. We still have questions, though, about the extent of your father’s involvement. Your mother said they were a team, every step of the way, but your father claims to have had zero awareness.”

“Oh.”

“But I want to hear from you, Rowan. Did your dad know you were locked in that basement bathroom?”

My heart sank inside my chest. I stared at the arm of the chair. If I stroked it with my finger, the fabric changed. Recorded my movement. Then I could smooth it over again. Make the mark vanish.

“Rowan?”

I swallowed. Gloria’s voice slipped inside my head.

“That’s Telly’s decision. He’s still angry. We’re talking about it, but it’s up to him.

“Telly has to choose. When he wants you out, you’ll be out.

“You’re going to stay right here…Telly and I…we’ll figure out the story.

“I told him everything. I did. I told him everything and it didn’t matter.

“He has a new life now. A better life.

“He doesn’t care.”

He doesn’t care.

I scratched my new spot. I knew the answer. Telly might not have spoken, but he still said plenty.

“Rowan? I know how hard this is, but we want to get at the truth.”

“Yes,” I said. “He knew I was down there. They were trying to teach me a lesson. Both of them decided on it and talked about it. Gloria and Telly. Telly and Gloria. They may seem like they’re apart, Detective Aiken, but their minds are always together.”

The detective blinked. Then he took a big breath and blew it out. I tapped the rose fabric, smoothed it, tapped it again.

“In all my years,” the detective said, “I’ve never come across anything like this. It’s—it’s…I can’t imagine a person who—” He put his notebook back in his pocket. “Thank you, Rowan. You’re a courageous young man.”

I nodded, but it wasn’t a matter of courage. When those words had come out of my mouth it was the first time I felt strong. As though something solid was clinging to the shell that surrounded me. It would stick there and spread out. A thickening layer. Maybe I would stop dreaming about the basement. Stop dreaming about Gloria and Telly’s plan to get rid of me. Maybe, someday, I would forget.