Convicted Innocent(39)

To this answer, Lewis let out a distinctly dissatisfied sounding grunt.

“And when you signed that confession written for you, we wouldn’t have pressed the matter further,” the policeman muttered to himself. He scratched at the whiskers darkly shadowing his chin, the gesture angry, and then asked, “Why does my friend think your name is Innocent?”

(My mother called me her ‘innocent one.’ I miss her.)

“Do you know the men who’ve captured us?”

A nod.

“How might they have learned that you sent me a letter?”

(I only told Frank, so I don’t know. He wrote it for me.)

The sergeant’s face went even more pensive for a moment, but he continued after only a brief pause.

“Who are they?”

(I don’t recognize all of them, but some I do. They work for my uncle.)

“This uncle is the same one who gave you the knife after Milo Gervais’s murder?”

Another nod.

“Did he kill Milo Gervais?”

Innocent gave a hesitant shrug. (I didn’t see what happened.)

“Did you see him kill anyone else?”

(I…maybe. A man fell down once after Uncle Conway finished speaking with him. My uncle was angry with him and with me after.)

The young man had been sitting with his legs drawn up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his knees. As the conversation dwelt upon his uncle, Innocent’s shoulders hunched and he began rocking back and forth.

Unaware of or ignoring the boy’s agitation, Lewis frowned and stated, “The Harkers are very loyal to one another. One wouldn’t think…. I don’t recall there being a Conway Harker.”

(No. He’s my mother’s brother. Conway Duke.)

“Oh!” That stopped the policeman short for a minute or so, and David could almost see the thoughts churning in his friend’s head, as if the pieces of a tremendous puzzle were slowly fluttering and falling into place.

The young man’s rocking slowed and stopped in the silence.

“Is it a grab for power? Why gather up and detain all the people who might finger him for that murder…?” the sergeant mused mostly to himself, and then to the young man: “What are his plans for us?”

Though Innocent had no reply, David couldn’t help but think that a person was missing from that ‘all’: what had become of Frank O’Malley? He didn’t voice that thought, however, instead asking a question of his own.

“Where were you yesterday afternoon and evening?”

Innocent’s answer – that Uncle Conway had asked him to deliver a message to the police – David repeated aloud for the bobby’s benefit. Lewis nodded, accepting the explanation, then asked softly:

“What do you want, Innocent?”

The quiet question surprised the priest. For one, he hadn’t expected Lewis to call the young man by anything other than his given name or surname. And also, David thought it was less a question the bobby would ask than would the man himself.

“T-t-t-t-o g-go ‘ome.”

“When we get free of here, then, I think my friend here can help tell your story properly.”

Innocent beamed; David cocked his head at his friend.

“You believe him?”

A brief smile flitted across Lew’s face.

“It’s more that I believe you. That you’re ready to vouch for him isn’t lost on me, and means much.” The sergeant tugged a sideburn fast blurring into his beard scruff. “The court will require more than just his translated word to stay a murder conviction. For me, though: it’s enough that I trust you.”