saw in me, but she moved with her usual decision. “You can have ten minutes. Eds, you and I will get a cup of coffee. And find out why the guard let this woman into the room.”
When the two had left, I made sure the door was shut all the way, then pulled a chair up next to Catherine’s head, leaning close to her so I could speak softly and keep any eavesdroppers from making out my words. “Ben jamin is safe, but I’m not going to tell you where he is. You’ve been gallant and heroic, standing up for him, but the police will be coming through here in waves. You’re Calvin and Renee Bayard’s granddaughter-the cops won’t abuse you-but they are going to question you. A lot. The less you know, the better for both you and Benjamin.”
“I rescued him. I … have a right-“
“This situation isn’t about rights; it’s about keeping Benjamin safe until we find out whether he really does have any terrorist affiliations.”
Her mouth set in a mulish line. “Benji is not a terrorist. I know him. He’s scared. He’s lonely. He needs me.”
I shook my head. “You can’t take him back to Larchmont. And even if you had some other place to hide him, you’re wounded. You couldn’t look after him. Besides which, the FBI is looking for him. Because they may be tailing me, I’m not trying to visit him. And as soon as you get out of this bed, they’re going to be questioning you. He’s safe where he is.”
“On your say-so. I looked after him for three weeks and never breathed a word to anyone.” She sat up in bed, her eyes fierce in her pale face. “You can’t just barge in and take him away and not tell me where he is.”
I shook my head, tired of the orders of the rich, even the young, ardent rich, but I said, “I will tell you if you promise not to try to see him until I let you know it’s safe. And if you agree to answer my questions.”
She thought it over for a minute, not wanting to give me anything, but finally agreed. When I told her he was at St. Remigio’s, she objected to my putting a Muslim in a Catholic rectory, but, after I’d described Father Lou, she reluctantly agreed it might work. Mindful of Renee’s timetable, I cut short Catherine’s further questions to ask my own.
“How did you come to take charge of Benji?”
The ghost of a smile flitted across her face. “In the cafeteria one day. I’d left my books. Room was empty, ‘cept for him. Saw him trying to read …
out of one of the third-grade books … helped him. After, he’d stop sometimes during lunch … he bussed tables, you know … he’d ask what a word meant … never intruded … I liked him … didn’t know his story … uncle died here … mom home in Cairo … three little sisters … a brother … sending them money … learned that … later.”
She stopped, panting. I helped her drink some juice and looked at my watch.
“Yeah, Granny. Can’t fight her … Day they came for him … Benji hid inside our sports equipment shed … Saw me … when I was putting away … field hockey sticks … begged for help. Hid him in the shed … took the padlock key home … Did like you guessed … down the fire escape … took Gran’s car … picked up Benji at Vina Fields … drove him out to New Solway … He couldn’t stay in the sports shed. I knew Larchmont was empty … only place I could think of… We found all that … old furniture in the attic. Turned off… motion sensors for alarm. Brought food … when I could get there.”
“But how did you get into Larchmont?”
“trample did go once … last year … I saw him leave, two in the morning … Theresa didn’t wake up … I followed him through the wood and saw him … go into the house. Grample did have a key for the door, the alarm … that part was true … I don’t know how … he got it … Got Grample home … He does come with me … even when he won’t go … with Granny … Daddy was at home, so I didn’t say … anything … but I kept … the key.”
“I thought Theresa had an alarm over her bed so she’d wake up if your grandfather left his room in the night.”
“She does … But sometimes she … has seizures and stuff… she sleeps through alarm … Granny mustn’t know. It doesn’t happen often … Grample likes her … she’s good with him … don’t tell Granny, please.”
She was growing paler and shorter of breath. I assured her I wouldn’t rat out Theresa to her grandmother, and told her to lie down and rest, that we’d talk more another time. Edwards and Renee came in as Catherine sank back against the mattress.
Edwards looked at his daughter, lying with her eyes half shut, her face white, and glared at me. “What have you been doing to her?” He bent over
his daughter and added with surprising tenderness, “Trina, Trina, it’s okay, baby, Daddy’s here.”
A nurse had followed the Bayards into the room. She pushed past Edwards and Renee and put her fingers on Catherine’s wrist. “She’s all right, just very fatigued. I’m going to give her something to help her rest better, and, for now, no more conversation with her.”