Page 37 of No More Words

Olivia lays her hands flat on the table. Her thumbs tap the plastic surface. “I don’t know where she was last seen.”

“Who was the last person to see her?”

“Josh. I think.”

“Where did you last see your mom?” Tanya asks Josh.

He frowns, looking at his hands. “The road.”

Tanya’s gaze slides to Olivia and back. “What road?”

“The one ... the one ... we ... I ... walked ... and I ... then she ...” His frown deepens and he lightly bangs his clasped hands on the table.

Olivia feels his frustration as her own. The details that can help them find Lily are trapped inside his head or hanging on the tip of his tongue. She rests her hand over his.

“Josh had an accident a while back that makes talking a challenge. I’ve noticed nouns and verbs give him the most trouble.”

“What happened?” Tanya asks.

“He hit his head.”

Tanya looks at Josh for confirmation or a reaction, Olivia can’t tell.

“Josh?” the officer prompts.

“I fell.”

Olivia watches Tanya process this information, fearing how this might play out. Falling is the most common excuse in the book to explain away bruises and breaks when someone is abused. Was he?Could he have been running from someone and was separated from his mom?

“Is that true, Josh?” Tanya’s voice takes on an authoritative tone.

Josh is quiet. He tugs his bottom lip.

“Josh.” Olivia gently touches his shoulder. “Answer the officer.” She wants answers, too. If there’s someone out there who might harm him, she needs to know about it. She promised him he’s safe with her.

He shakes his head.

“You didn’t fall, or you don’t want to answer me?” Tanya moves aside the tablet and folds her hands on the table.

“Not ... fall.”

“What happened then?” she asks when Josh shakes his head again.

Josh shoves his hands in front of him.

“What’s he doing?” Tanya looks at Olivia.

“I don’t know,” she murmurs with mounting alarm.

Josh repeats the gesture and Olivia softly gasps. “Did someone push you?” she asks as a sickening feeling balloons in her stomach. Josh nods. “Who?”

“My ... my ... your ...” He looks at Olivia, silently begging for her to understand.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me. I’m sorry.”

Josh presses his chin into his chest and her heart breaks for him. “We’ll talk about this later. Let’s focus on your mom, okay?” she suggests as her mind races with possibilities. Did he get into a fight? Was he attacked? If so, is that person still a threat?

Tanya repositions the tablet, her fingers hovering over the keys. “When you find out what happened, you let me know if this is something that should be reported.”

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