“No.”
“Threaten someone?”
“No.”
Marcus nodded slowly.
“So what was suspicious?”
Lorraine’s jaw tightened.
“He didn't look like he belonged by himself.”
That sentence changed his face.
Not dramatically.
Marcus became very still.
“He is wearing an event badge.”
“I didn't see it.”
“He is holding school fundraising materials.”
“I didn't know.”
“There is a thirty-foot Hawthorne banner over there.”
“I wasn't looking at the booth.”
Marcus nodded.
“Exactly.”
Lorraine’s cheeks flushed.
“I was being cautious.”
“No.”
Marcus’s voice remained calm.
“You were being certain before you had information.”
She looked at him.
“Don't lecture me.”
“I’m not.”
He pointed toward Isaiah.
“You approached my son.”
“You accused him.”
“You demanded he open his backpack.”
“You called security.”
“And you've just admitted you never saw him touch anything.”
Lorraine looked toward the officers.
“This is becoming ridiculous.”
Marcus answered:
“It became ridiculous when an adult decided a seven-year-old needed to prove he wasn't a thief.”
Lorraine raised her chin.
“You don’t know what I saw.”
“Then tell me.”
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came.
Marcus waited.
“I saw him looking at people.”
“That's it?”
“He moved between families.”
“He was fundraising.”
“He looked into a stroller.”
Isaiah spoke.
“I showed the mom the QR code.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You remember?”
“Yes.”
The woman with the stroller had remained nearby.
She stepped forward.
“He's telling the truth.”
Lorraine looked at her.
“You don't need to get involved.”
The woman stared.
“I’m the person whose stroller you're talking about.”
That removed the final piece of Lorraine’s story.
The woman continued.
“He never touched my bags.”
“Never looked inside them.”
“He showed me the donation code.”
“And I gave his school twenty dollars.”
Lorraine went silent.
Marcus looked at Isaiah.
“You okay?”
Isaiah shrugged.
That was not an answer.
Marcus knew.
He placed one hand on the back of his son's neck.
“I’m here.”
Isaiah nodded.
That helped.
Then another vehicle stopped near the service entrance.
Black.
City seal.
Marcus knew immediately.
“So does she.”
Isaiah looked.
“Oh no.”
Marcus smiled faintly.
“Your mother is here.”
“Dad.”
“What?”
“Don't smile.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m terrified.”
Camille stepped out.
CHAPTER 5: HIS MOTHER AND FATHER
Camille did not walk toward Lorraine.
She did not walk toward the police.
She went directly to her son.
Marcus moved slightly aside.
Camille crouched.
“Look at me.”
Isaiah did.
“You hurt?”
“No.”
“Anybody touch you?”
“No.”
“Search you?”
“No.”