Chapter 11 - WALTER CALLSI finally answered Walter the next morning.
Deputy Monroe advised me not to discuss evidence.
So I listened.
Walter began:
“Have you finished this circus?”
I nearly hung up.
“What do you want?”
“I want my family to stop treating Bryce like a criminal.”
“Peyton has a broken shoulder.”
“She fell.”
“He shoved her.”
“Children shove.”
“She says he threatened her before.”
“Children say stupid things.”
“She told you.”
Silence.
Then:
“She tattles.”
“You knew.”
“I knew she complained.”
“And you told Nelson.”
“I was trying to keep this from becoming exactly what you’ve made it.”
“What did I make it?”
“A police matter.”
My hand tightened.
“Walter, a thirteen-year-old with a prior suspension for injuring another child shoved Peyton on an icy porch and fractured her shoulder.”
“You don’t get to diagnose intent.”
He was right about one word.
Intent.
Then he added:
“And you assaulted a seventy-one-year-old man.”
Also true enough to hurt.
I said:
“Then let both cases be investigated.”
He went silent.
I continued:
May you like
“I’m not protecting myself by silencing Peyton.”
Then I hung up.
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