Page 64 of The Burning

Grimacing, he swirls the bourbon in his glass. “Did Milan Swanz molest your nephew?”

Just like that the conversation shifts.

I look at him, think about tossing back the bourbon and pouring another. I don’t. “Jacob didn’t murder Swanz.”

“They’re going to pick him up first light. They’re going to take him to the station and they’re going to question him hard.”

“He won’t talk to them. Not about his son,” I say. “About what happened.”

“That’s going to be a problem. For Jacob.”

“I know. Damn it.” I smack my hand against the tabletop because I hate the idea of my brother being subjected to that.

“If Jacob doesn’t cooperate, they’ll assume he’s lying.”

“I know.” I tell him what transpired between Swanz and my nephew. “Jacob interrupted before anything happened.”

“Do you believe him?”

“Yes.”

“All right.” He turns thoughtful. “On the bright side, it might do Rasmussen and Chambers good to get a taste of that Amish wall of silence.”

I’m not feeling quite so optimistic, so I say nothing.

Tomasetti shrugs. “Who knows what you might uncover in the interim.”

I feel myself go still, look at him. “What’s your point?”

“My point is, it’s four o’clock in the morning and fortunately for us insomniacs, the Amish are early risers.”

The exhaustion that had been pressing down on me shifts and lightens. I look at the glass of bourbon, sigh, push it aside. “I don’t think we should talk to Jacob.”

“I agree,” he says. “Let Chambers and Rasmussen beat their heads against that brick wall for a few hours.” He pauses. “Who else?”

Something that feels vaguely like hope jumps in my chest. “The bishop may be able to tell us something.”

He arches a brow.

I tell him about my conversation with Bertha Swanz. “Milan Swanz and Clarence Raber drove to the Troyer farm, forced their way inside, and assaulted the bishop and his wife. When I initially made contact with the bishop, he didn’t mention it.”

His eyes narrow. “The bishop is well thought of among the Amish.”

“Surly as he is,” I say, “Bishop Troyer is revered.”

“Sounds like Swanz has crossed a lot of people.”

“And a lot of lines.” I think about that for a moment. “If someone found out Swanz assaulted the bishop. If they found out Swanz had acted inappropriately with a young boy.”

“The bishop knew about both of those things?” Tomasetti says.

I nod. “Who’s to say someone didn’t take it upon themselves to mete out a little justice.”

“Sounds like the bishop and his wife are a good place to start.”

“I don’t think he’ll talk to us.”

“You underestimate your powers of persuasion.”