“I KILLED Dad,” Archie Jr. said, his voice barely a whisper.
“Archie…” His mother began to protest, but she trailed off when she realized that all hope had evaporated. There was no way for him to take back what he’d said. No way to rewind any of this, although she would have given almost anything to do so.
“It’s okay, Archie,” Veena said. “You’re in a safe place right now, and we’re all here to help you. You don’t have to be afraid.”
The kid unconsciously balled his hands into fists as he worked up the nerve to continue. “My mom and Maya didn’t want you two to know that, but I didn’t want to lie and get them in any more trouble.”
“We understand, buddy,” Cooper said. “And by the way, what you’re doing right now is incredibly brave.”
“I don’t feel brave.”
“I know that’s not how you feel,” Veena said, “but your mother couldn’t be prouder of you. Isn’t that right, Mom?”
Archie Jr. looked over at his mother. Francine could only beam love at her child as she slowly nodded. “You can tell them the truth.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“It’s okay, baby,” Francine said. “And they’re right. You’re the bravest person I’ve ever met.”
“Can you tell us what happened?” Veena asked.
Archie Jr. relaxed his hands as if he’d just realized he’d been clenching them. “I shot Dad,” he said. “I knew it was wrong, but…I had to do something. When Mom found out, she asked where I’d gotten a gun, and I’d found it in Ms. Maya’s bag but I didn’t want to get her in trouble, so I lied and said I found it near school.”
“And then you buried it in the garden,” Cooper said.
“Yeah. But the police found it anyway. Or Mr. Mauricio did, and he told the police. I swear I didn’t mean to get Ms. Maya in trouble.”
“You didn’t, Archie,” Maya said, forcing a smile as if that would hold back her tears. It failed.
“Why did you do that, honey?” Veena asked. “Why did you shoot your dad?”
Archie Jr. swallowed. “I had to.”
Cooper nodded. “Tell us what your dad said.”
“It’s not what he said. It’s what he did.”
“What did he do?”
Archie Jr. didn’t reply, but the way he looked at his mother confirmed it for Cooper. The boy had known exactly what was going on. Archie Jr. hadn’t cared if his father hit him. But his father hitting his mother was too much. What kind of young man could let his mother be beat up, even if it was his own father doing the hitting?
“Dad always said blood is thicker than water,” Archie Jr. continued. “Nothing was more important than Mom and me and Maddie. I think he forgot that. I was just trying to remind him.”
“How?” Veena asked.
“I didn’t mean it. I just wanted him to stop and listen to me. So I pointed Maya’s gun at him so he would stop. I didn’t want to…”
“It’s okay,” Cooper said. “It’s not your fault.”
“But it is my fault!” Archie Jr. yelled. “I should have known Dad wouldn’t stop! He tried to take the gun, and I just wanted to pull it away from him, and I must have pulled too hard and…” The boy trailed off and stared off into space as if it were happening all over again.
Cooper fought hard to control the tightening in his chest. It felt like the onset of a heart attack, but he knew he was just trying to avoid crying in front of everyone. He glanced around the room and realized he didn’t need to bother. All of them were sobbing.