Ariel Mather crossed her arms and glared. “I already told you he’s not crazy. He just has a good imagination. That was obvious even when he was little, the way he’d make up stories about his toy animals or whatnot. Sometimes I’d find him staring at the TV when it wasn’t even turned on, like what he saw in that empty screen was just as interesting as any show on cable. Or at the sky, watching clouds go by. Windows on a rainy day, he liked to look at those. That don’t make him crazy, I don’t think.”

“I don’t think so either.”

“And what’s it matter? All’s you have to do is get him out of that place he’s locked up in.”

“The only way I can do that—if I can do that—is to convince my colleagues Orrin isn’t in danger of going back to the streets and getting hurt. What you’re telling me is helpful. Which I have to assume is why Officer Bose brought us together.” Sandra gave Bose another sidelong look. “You said Orrin was never aggressive?”

“Orrin’d run from an argument with his hands over his ears. He’s shy, not violent. It was always hard for him when Mama came home with a man. He hid out, mostly, times like that. Especially if there was any kind of disagreement or unpleasantness.”

“And I’m sorry I have to ask this, but was your mother ever aggressive toward Orrin?”

“She had her meth fits sometimes, especially toward the end. Some scenes. Nothing serious.”

“You mentioned that Orrin liked to tell stories. Does he ever write them down? Did he keep a journal?”

Ariel seemed surprised at the question. “No, nothing like that. His printing is neat but he don’t practice it much.”

“Did he have a girlfriend back in Raleigh?”

“He’s bashful around women, so no.”

“Did he worry about that? Resent it?”

Ariel Mather shrugged.

“Okay. Thank you for your patience, Ariel. I don’t believe Orrin needs to go into custodial care, and what you’ve said tends to confirm that.” Though it raised other questions, Sandra thought.

“You can get him out?”

“It’s not that simple. We’ll have to sort out whatever happened this afternoon that led Dr. Congreve to believe he’s violent—but I’ll do everything I can.” A thought occurred to her. “One more question. What was it that caused Orrin to leave Raleigh, and why did he come to Houston?”

Ariel hesitated. Her posture remained stiff as a spindle, as if her sense of dignity had settled into the knobs of her spine. “He has moods sometimes…”

“What kind of moods?”