Ostwall, Amissah, 10416 P.C.

"Todd Nathaniel Vinson!" Cathy crowed the moment Todd entered the house, bringing the cold air with him. "Where in Amissah have you been?"

"Walking," he responded, his voice as chilly as the air outside. He kicked off his shoes and shed his dress coat, which had failed miserably in keeping him warm. Clenching his teeth to keep them from chattering, he rubbed his red hands together, trying to coax warmth back into them. He hadn't worn gloves, and he was regretting it.

Looking up, he saw Cathy standing at the kitchen door, an apron on and a flipper in her hand. He could smell food cooking, and against his will, his stomach growled in longing. He grimaced, the expression pulling painfully at his nearly frozen cheeks.

"It was a stupid thing to do, getting out of the truck like that," Cathy scolded. "Henry isn't happy about it."

"When is he ever happy with me?" Todd mumbled, trying to move by her and head down the hallway to his room. He would be safe there if he barricaded the door shut with his desk.

Cathy held out the flipper, blocking his path. "Tone, Todd."

He resisted the urge to smack the flipper away. "I want to be alone, Cathy. Just leave me alone."

"Why are you always running off to be alone, Todd?" Henry asked, startling Todd. He hadn't noticed his brother-in-law appear in the doorway to the living room. When Henry took a step toward them, Todd took a jump back, immediately tensing up. Henry's lips curled into an unsettling smirk. "Hiding something, perhaps?"

"No," Todd said between his teeth, which were clenched so hard his jaw was aching.

Cathy stepped between them. Todd could see the fright in her eyes; she didn't want a fight. "Henry, please. Let's not get into this. He had to see his best friend die, okay? Please, leave him alone."

"He did see Michael's death, didn't he." Todd was surprised that Henry had remembered Michael's name. "He was the only one who did see it, in fact. Something tells me he did it himself."

Todd opened his mouth in surprise, but Cathy beat him to the punch. "How could you think that? Todd would never!"

"It wouldn't surprise me much," Henry said, holding Todd in a cold gaze. "See, even now his eyes are murderous."

Cathy turned to look, but Todd had had enough. "Sod off, Henry," he snapped, backing away and escaping down the hallway to his bedroom. He slammed the door, rattling the pictures on the walls. Clutching the doorknob in his hand, he held his breath, waiting for Henry to storm after him and give him one of his 'lessons'. Henry didn't; instead, Todd could hear him yelling at Cathy. Todd's grip on the doorknob tightened. He wished he could lock it to keep people out; however, Henry had installed the knob backwards so that it could be locked from the outside. Todd could count on both hands the number of times Henry had locked him in his own room in the past six months. Once Todd had climbed out of the window to escape, ruining Cathy's peonies in the flowerbed beneath his window. He had paid dearly for that one.

Sighing deeply, Todd leaned his head against the door, closing his eyes and listening as Cathy and Henry yelled. It was a such a usual sound, it was almost too easy to drown out. His mind found other things to focus on.

Now that his greatest fear had been voiced aloud, Todd was worried. Would the detective and police have the same thought: that Todd had killed Michael? Michael had been his best friend! The very thought of murdering Michael — or anyone for that matter — had never ever crossed his mind! Well, maybe Henry, but he knew he wouldn't even if given the opportunity. Todd had always been a quiet, shy kid, more complacent and a follower than anything else. He was no murderer.

His thoughts were shattered by Cathy's cry of pain. Todd knew Henry had hit her, and rage welled up within him. Why was he so helpless? Cursing himself, he slammed his open palm against the door before jerking it open, starting down the hallway with nothing but the anger in his bones. He found the two in the kitchen. Henry had backed his wife against the counter, his hand raised to hit her again. He lowered it and turned around when Todd entered the kitchen.

Todd froze, his mind racing. "Don't touch my sister," he said forcefully, although the tremor in his voice was painfully clear.

Henry tilted his head, giving Todd a dangerous look. "What, you defy me once and think you can do it again?"

Todd shrank back as Henry stepped toward him. His hands were clenched into fists, but they trembled. "Don't hit my sister," he repeated, his voice substantially less forceful than before. Staring at Henry now felt like staring at impending doom. He was beginning to regret coming back out. He'd surely get it now. But oh, he was so mad. It was hard to tell what he shook with, anger or fear.

"I don't think I like your attitude, Todd." Henry advanced. Todd backed away, raising his fists, his heart racing furiously.

"Todd, Henry, don't!" Cathy cried.

Fear got the best of Todd; he dropped his fists with a shuddering breath and made a dash for his room. He got two steps before Henry caught his arm and threw him into the wall, slamming the air out of his lungs and pinning him there.

"What have I told you?" Henry demanded, his hand twisted in Todd's shirt collar as his fist held Todd against the wall with bruising force. He pulled Todd away only to slam him back against the wall. "You're nothing! You're pathetic! Don't ever try crossing me again!" He threw Todd down the hallway with a powerful arm. Todd stumbled and fell, hitting his head on the bathroom door frame. He heard Cathy shriek through his daze. He struggled to get to his feet, clambering into his room and falling hard when Henry kicked him in the back. He scrambled across the floor to the far wall, breathing hard as he watched Henry stop in the doorway to glower at him.

"Your meeting with authorities tomorrow saves you from a proper punishment," Henry growled, claiming the doorknob in his huge hand. "Missing supper will do for now." With that, Henry slammed the door and locked it. His retreating steps echoed down the hallway, pounding right along with Todd's heart.

Todd gasped for breath, trembling all over. Forcing himself to get up off the floor, he staggered to and collapsed on his bed. He covered his face with his hands and squeezed his eyes shut, hating Henry, hating himself. Henry was right: he was pathetic. He hadn't even been able to defend himself, much less his sister. Todd was weak and a coward, and he knew it all too well.