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She didn't respond.

"Whatever baggage you carry with you, now is the time to lose it. To tell us what happened.

Everything. I think there is more than what you told us before. We're back at square one and we need your help. This is your brother we're talking about." He opened the bottle and took a long draw of water. For the first time he noticed how warm it was in the room. Sheila spoke while he took his second drink from the bottle.

"I understand something now ..."

"What is that?"

She was staring down at her hands. When she spoke it was like she was speaking to herself. Or to nobody.

"After Arthur was gone, my father never touched me again. I never... I thought it was because I had become undesirable in some way. I was overweight, ugly.

I think now maybe it was because... he was afraid of what he thought I had done or what I might be

able to do "_

Поглядел на Эдгара, тот покачал головой. Открыл другую для себя, придвинул к столу стул, на котором сидел Фрэнк, и сел.

- Послушайте, Шейла. Вы были жертвой. Ребенком Он был вашим отцом, сильным и главой дома.

Быть. жертвой не стыдно.

Она промолчала.

- Теперь пора расстаться с грузом воспоминаний. Рассказать нам о том, что произошло. Думаю, раньше вы сообщили не все. Мы снова на стартовой черте и нуждаемся в вашей помощи. Речь идет об Артуре.

Босх сделал большой глоток воды.

В комнате было очень жарко. Когда он приложился к бутылке второй раз, Шейла промолвила:

- Теперь я кое-что понимаю...

- Что же?

Она уставилась на свои руки и продолжила:

- Когда Артур ушел, отец больше ко мне не прикасался. Я стала почему-то нежеланной. Я была толстой, некрасивой.

А может, он боялся того, что, как думал, я совершила или была способна совершить.

Она положила конверт на стол.

"Sheila, is there anything else about that time, about that last day, that you didn't tell us before?

Anything that can help us?"

She nodded very slightly and then bowed her head, hiding her face behind her raised fists.

"I knew he was running away," she said slowly. "And I didn't do anything to stop him."

Bosch moved forward on the edge of the seat. He spoke gently to her.

"How so, Sheila?"

There was a long pause before she answered.

"When I came home from school that day. He was there. In his room."

"So he did come home?"

"Yes. For a little bit. His door was open a crack and I looked in. He didn't see me. He was putting things into his book bag. Clothes, things like that. I knew what he was doing. He was packing and was going to run. I just... I went into my room and closed the door. I wanted him to go. I guess I hated him, I don't know. But I wanted him gone.

To me he was the cause of everything.

I just wanted him to be gone.

I stayed in my room until I heard the front door close."

She raised her face and looked at Bosch_

- Шейла, вам есть что рассказать о том последнем дне, чего не говорили раньше? Что нам поможет?

Она еле заметно кивнула и опустила голову, спрятав лицо за поднятыми кулаками.

- Я понимала, что Артур уходит из дома, - неторопливо произнесла она. - И ничего не предприняла, чтобы удержать его.