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The last to appear, from the other side of the ute, was an Asian woman in her forties with wavy light-brown hair. About Robin’s height, which put her at five-three on a good day.
Both adults wore gray suits. The boy had on a sky-blue polo shirt, olive-drab cargo pants, and high-top sneakers.
They took turns addressing him. He listened without comment or movement. Not the shine-you-on serenity of an adolescent shutting out grown-up noise. Paying attention.
I stepped forward to the rail and said, “Good morning.”
Three faces looked up. Even from a distance, the size and width of Derek Ruffalo’s eyes were evident. Narrow shoulders but good posture. Triangular face bottomed by a square chin.
Wendy Sugihara said, “Dr. Delaware? Glad we’re on time. It’s quite an excursion up here.”
Jack Toth said, “Probably weeds out the serious ones from the flakes.”
Derek Ruffalo smiled.
—
The three of them climbed the stairs. I’d closed the door and stood with my back to it. Still out for any sort of tell, mostly from Derek. He remained calm. A tell of a sort.
Both lawyers gave me their cards. Jack Toth’s full name was Janos.
Wendy Sugihara said, “Jack and I are ready to talk to you first and fill you in.”
I said, “Maybe later. I’ll be seeing Derek first.”
She looked at her adversary of record. Nothing adversarial about her expression. Jack Toth’s eyebrows were high and quivering.
She said, “It’s really better if we start. It’ll simplify matters.”
Jack Toth said, “Putting it mildly.”
I said, “Appreciate that but I’ll start with Derek.”
I opened the door and ushered them into the living room. I’d arranged a few magazines, bottles of water and glasses, had switched on soft Latin jazz. “Make yourselves comfortable or feel free to leave and come back.”
Both lawyers looked grim but they said nothing.
I motioned to Derek and he walked to my side. Lemony aftershave. You don’t get that much in teenage boys. Prepped by an adult or precocious?
As we headed up the hallway to my office, Jack Toth said, “How long do you expect to be talking to our boy?”
The word choice made Derek smile wider.
I said, “An hour. I’ll text you a quarter hour before.”
Derek produced an iPhone from a cargo pocket.
“Better yet, Derek will.”
The lawyers looked at each other. Sugihara said, “I’ve got plenty to do, don’t mind working in the car. That okay for you, Jack?”
“Better than just sitting around on my duff,” said Toth. To Derek: “You okay, son?”
“Yessir.”
“No need to text, just c’mon out when you’re done.”
—
