“What did you father do about it?”

“Nothing, because my brother never told my father.”

“Surely your father knew something was wrong.”

“I’m sure he did, but Dad wasn’t a person who delved into emotions. Even if Cal J said something, I could see my father telling him to ‘take it like a man.’”

“There’s a difference between exchanging punches and getting acid burns.”

“You’re right. Maybe Dad would have done something about it if he had known about that specific incident.”

“Did your dad know that Rudy was bullying Cal?”

“Don’t know. I found out about the acid incident after the fact. I came home from college break and saw the burned skin. My brother said he had an accident. When I pressed him, he told me the truth. I was ready to confront Banks and beat the shit out of him, but my brother begged me not to. He said that Dr. Ben was handling the situation. I respected Dr. Ben. Lucky for Rudy. Otherwise I would have sliced his balls off.”

He was kneading his hands.

“Look, I know you’re here to find out information, but please don’t bring this up with Cal J. It took him forever to get over the trauma. Not only Rudy, but coming out to my father. He seems all right now. He’s got a good job and a nice boyfriend. I don’t want to see him in any more pain. I mean, who’d want to talk about that?”

Decker nodded. “I heard Rudy left high school in eleventh grade.”

“He was expelled.”

“Because of your brother?”

“That and probably a million other reasons.”

“Who kicked him out? Dr. Ben?”

“Probably the entire administration. What does this have to do with my father’s death?”

“I think Rudy’s involved in Little’s death, but I can’t figure out how or why. This is compounded by the fact that Rudy had been out of the school for at least five years before Little was murdered, so why would he wait so long to murder Little? Did your father ever suspect Rudy in the Little case?”

“My dad didn’t discuss that case with me. I was gone by then. But if there had been a reason to arrest Rudy, I’m sure my father would have done it. He hated Rudy and not just because of Cal. Rudy was always getting into trouble.”

Decker said, “So you’re saying that Banks probably didn’t have anything to do with the Little case. Otherwise your father would have arrested him right away.”

“Maybe he suspected him, but he didn’t have the evidence. All I’m saying is, if there had been evidence, Dad would have gone for the jugular. He hated Rudy.”

“And Rudy hated your dad?”

“Rudy hated everyone.”

“Including Ben Little?”

“Most certainly Ben Little. Little was always on his case, for good reason.”