“I thought of it while you were here. But why rake up muck? What good will it do?”
“What made you change your mind then?”
“The more I thought about it, the more I believe the truth, whatever it is, might help Michelle. She was just a little girl. Whatever might have happened back then, it wasn’t her fault.”
“And what do you think happened, Mrs. Rose?”
“Mr. Barnes, that I just won’t say. It’s up to you now. I hope this helps. Did you tell Michelle I said hello?”
“I did and she remembered you very well.”
Hazel Rose’s voice cracked slightly. “I wish nothing but the best for that girl.”
Horatio thanked her, hung up and slumped back in his chair. This put a whole new spin on everything that the psychologist didn’t like at all.
CHAPTER
62
LATER THAT EVENING Horatio moved into an empty room in the mansion at Babbage Town after Michelle told him Champ had authorized it.
“I’m surprised,” he said.
“Even geniuses change their minds,” she pointed out.
“No, I’m surprised that you asked him to do it.”
“How do you know I asked him?”
“I’m the head doc, okay? I just know.”
After he was unpacked Horatio asked Sean to come to his room. There he filled him in on what South had told him about Camp Peary and German prisoners of war being held there. And also the phone conversation he’d had with Hazel Rose.
Sean mulled the latter part over. “What do you make of it?”
“Make of it? I make of it that Michelle’s mother was having an affair with this Army guy.”
“That part I figured out. I mean how does that fact tie into Michelle’s personality changing?”
“I’m not sure,” Horatio admitted.
“Did Hazel say when the Army guy stopped coming around?”
“No. Actually I didn’t ask her.”
The two men stared at each other. “You think Michelle saw something, don’t you?” Horatio slowly nodded. “Like what?”
“It’s only speculation, but something… bad. Like maybe her mother in bed with this guy. But what I’m really thinking is even worse. Her brother Bill didn’t believe it was the case, but I’m thinking that maybe Michelle was sexually abused by him.”
Sean looked skeptical. “And her mom would just allow that to happen? Come on!”
“Believe me I’ve seen it all. And maybe the mom didn’t know about it, or didn’t want to know about it so long as the guy kept coming around to see her.”
“So what would that do to a six-year-old kid?”
“Seeing the mom in bed with another man? At that age she might not be able to understand anything other than a strange man is with Mommy. And if Mom was quick enough to explain it away? But the sexual abuse? That could be devastating. Particularly if her mother acquiesced in it.”
“I can’t believe this, Horatio. Michelle has been very successful in life. Could she have done all that carrying around that sort of baggage?”