Page 104 of Dirty Judge

“They were in my dream, I know,” I said. “But?—”

“They are deceased, Liam.” He looked into my eyes, his voice firm but kind. “You’ve been checked into a post-traumatic stress unit for two weeks.”

I shook my head. “No. That’s not true.”

“The friends and neighbors have held off on the funeral until you’re better.”

“They didn’t die.” Tears fell down my face. “It was a nightmare. Stop talking, please…”

“I’m here to walk you through some legal proceedings regarding foster care and to let you know about the potential criminal charges.” He wiped my face with a handkerchief. “Okay?”

“No.” I yanked away from him. “Fuck you.”

“Nurse!”

Before I could jump out of the bed, a male in scrubs pinned me down and stuck a needle in my arm.

I instantly felt warm and calm, but my mind was still racing.

Minutes later, the suit pressed his hand against mine.

“Your parents, and the two other victims, were hit by a drunk driver,” he said. “Well, anallegeddrunk driver.”

“Who?”

“A man from Manhattan named Trevor Jenkins.”

“Did he do it on purpose?”

“Drunk drivers never do…” He shot me a look of sympathy. “But…I have to be honest with you. He may not see any jail time because of this, but he feels awful about what he’s done.”

Accident. Deceased. Drunk driver. Trevor Jenkins.

I tried to file everything in my mind in order.

“Drunk diving is a crime?” I asked, feeling woozy. “My dad dives into the lake with a beer all the time.”

“Drunkdriving, Liam,” he said. “Getting on the road drunk.”

“Oh, right.” I knew that. “Well, he has to go to jail for killing my parents, right?”

“Mr. Jenkins’ lawyers—Well, it’s…” He sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“I’m pretty fucking smart whenever I’m not being shot up with whatever this stuff is or being emotional.” I looked at him. “Talk to me like I’m eighteen instead of thirteen.”

“Mr. Jenkins has some of the best lawyers in the world, and the police have already admitted to making several mistakes at the scene.” He paused. “The blood alcohol tests, the delayed Miranda rights reading, the?—”

“So, because he’s rich, he gets away with it?”

“Hemightget away with it.”

“How do I make sure that doesn’t happen?”

“You can retain me as your lawyer.”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Mr. Jenkins has generously offered to pay off your family’s home mortgage and set up a college fund for you and the other victims’ surviving son,” he said. “He would hate for you to have to suffer in foster care, and he’s also willing to pay for your attorney and?—”