Checked that she had her inhaler.
Found the missing permission slip under a stack of grocery advertisements.
Then walked her to the bus stop.
The storm had scrubbed the sky clean.
Cold morning light reflected from puddles.
Lena jumped over every one.
Elias walked through them.
At the corner, she looked at his face again.
“You're going to sleep today?”
“Yes.”
“No jobs?”
“One.”
“Dad.”
“It was already scheduled.”
She folded her arms in an imitation of him.
“You said you're tired.”
“I am.”
“Then cancel.”
“I need the money.”
She hated that answer.
He could see it.
Not because Lena wanted things.
Because she had learned enough about their finances to know when her father was sacrificing sleep for rent.
“I can stop dance lessons.”
“No.”
“They cost money.”
“No.”
“I don't even like—”
“You love dance.”
“I sort of like it.”
“Lena.”
She looked away.
Elias crouched.
“You don't solve adult money problems.”
“But—”
“Your job is school.”
She muttered, “Sounds fake.”
“And dance.”
“Still fake.”
“And putting your bicycle away.”
“Now I know you're making things up.”
The bus appeared.
Elias touched her shoulder.
“Hey.”
She looked at him.
“We're okay.”
“You say that even when we're not.”
The observation struck.
He chose honesty.
“We're tight.”
She nodded.
“But we're stable.”
“Okay.”
“And if that changes, I tell you what you need to know.”
“Not everything.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you're nine.”
“Almost ten.”
“That's completely different.”
She smiled despite herself.
The bus stopped.
Lena climbed aboard.
Before the doors closed, she leaned out.
“Dad.”
“Yeah?”
“Don't help anybody else today.”
He laughed.
“No promises.”
She groaned.
The bus drove away.
Elias watched until it disappeared.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He almost ignored it.
Something stopped him.
“Rowan.”
Victoria Hale's voice answered.
“You really answer the phone like that?”
Elias closed his eyes.
“How did you get this number?”
“Marcus.”
“Of course.”
“He says hello.”
“I doubt that.”
“In fairness, he said something less friendly.”
“That I believe.”
Victoria became serious.
“Police confirmed the damage was deliberate.”
Elias said nothing.
“The van was abandoned.”
“Expected.”
“The second vehicle disappeared.”
“Also expected.”
“We're postponing the board meeting.”
That surprised him.
“Marcus win?”
“Temporarily.”
“Smart.”
“I dislike you agreeing with him.”
“Sounds personal.”
She ignored that.
“We need a formal statement.”
“I told Marcus everything.”
“Investigators want your observations.”
“When?”
“Today if possible.”
“I work.”