“Dr. Dani won’t be mad,” Diesel reassured him, cupping his cheek, his own hand looking like a bear’s paw next to the small boy’s face. “Let me see who it is,” he said when whoever it was knocked again.

He’d expected it to be Dani or her nurse, but Adam and Deacon stood outside the door. The much shorter social worker stood in front of them, her fist raised to knock again.

Diesel threw a look over his shoulder when he heard a thump behind him. Joshua had backed away, knocking his chair over. He was trembling, his face pale.

“I won’t go with her,” the boy said defiantly, but his voice broke. “Or them. They lied. They said Michael was bad. They lied.”

Diesel cast a glance at Adam and Deacon before turning fully to face Joshua. “Hey,” Diesel said as soothingly as he knew how. “They never said Michael was bad. They said they wanted to talk to him. That’s not the same thing.”

“But you called a lawyer.” Joshua pointed a finger at Diesel accusingly. “You said he didn’t do it.” He lifted his little chin, even as it quavered. “Did you lie, too?”

Shit. Why did this kid have to be so smart?

Diesel fought back a wince, forcing himself to smile. Convincingly, he hoped. “No, Joshua, I didn’t lie. I don’t think Michael did this, but the police have to talk to everyone when they find a body. Anyone who is asked to talk to the police needs a lawyer. That’s just common sense.”

“Gee, thanks,” Adam muttered, but Diesel ignored him.

Joshua swallowed. “Even me?”

Diesel wasn’t sure if he wanted to smile or cry. “If they talk to you, Miss Maddie here will be like your lawyer, okay? Dr. Dani and I are going to keep you safe. I know you don’t know us very well, but you can trust us, Joshua. I promise. Now, give me a minute to talk to the detectives.”

He turned back to Adam and Deacon. “What’s up?” he asked calmly.

“We need to ask you a few questions,” Adam said. “In private.”

“No!” Joshua shouted. “You said you wouldn’t leave me.”

The social worker entered the room. “He won’t, Joshua. Coach Diesel’s going to be just outside this door. I’ll wait with you, but he’ll be right back.”

Joshua blinked, sending tears down his face. He said nothing, and Diesel felt like dirt. He made himself smile. “If you get scared, yell for me and I’ll come back, lickety-split. That’s fast, Joshua.”

“Okay.” The mutinous look on Joshua’s face said that he wasn’t buying any of this, but he still righted the chair in which he’d been sitting and dropped onto it, his thin arms crossed over his chest.