“I grew up with a mother who worked three jobs,” he said. “We had a car that broke down so often I learned to recognize tow trucks by engine sound before I learned multiplication. One winter, it died outside a repair shop after closing. The owner told my mother he wouldn’t even look at it until she paid a diagnostic fee she didn’t have. We walked three miles home in snow.”
Daniel looked at him more carefully.
Peter shrugged once.
“I never forgot that. So when I saw a story about a mechanic doing the opposite, I paid attention.”
“That still doesn’t make this charity.”
“No. It makes it personal business.”
Daniel almost smiled.
Peter nodded toward the card.
“Think about it. I’ll stay out of your way unless you call.”
He left as quietly as he had arrived.
Marcus waited until the black sedan disappeared before speaking.
“He’s either genuine or very good at pretending.”
“That’s what worries me.”
“You worry when people are bad. You worry when people might be good. That gives you broad coverage.”
Daniel put Peter’s card into the top desk drawer.
“I’m not taking investor money because the internet likes me this week.”
“Good.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You agree?”
“I agree you shouldn’t do anything because the internet likes you. I didn’t say you shouldn’t do it because you need a second lift.”
Daniel glanced at the service bay.
Marcus had made the mistake of being right.
That night, Daniel got home before Chloe fell asleep.
She had already seen the Channel Nine segment three times because classmates kept sending it to her.
“You looked weird on camera,” she said over dinner.
“Thank you.”
“You kept staring at Nadia like she’d asked you to explain nuclear physics.”
“She asked why I helped someone.”
“That seems easy.”
“It was easy.”
“Then why did you look confused?”
“Because I don’t understand why it requires explanation.”
Chloe considered that and nodded as if he had proved her point.
After dinner, Daniel asked about school.
She described a science quiz, an argument between two friends, and the fact that one boy had tried to sell printed copies of Daniel’s news interview for one dollar each until a teacher stopped him.
Daniel stared at her.
“He was selling what?”
“Don’t worry. I told him that was weird.”
“Thank you.”
“Then I bought one.”
“Chloe.”
She laughed and pulled the folded printout from her backpack.
Across the top someone had written LOCAL HERO DAD in oversized marker.
Daniel groaned.
Chloe leaned against him on the couch.
“I know you hate this,” she said.
“I don’t hate people being nice.”
“You hate being seen.”
Daniel looked at the dark television screen.