Neither parent spoke.
At the park, Holloway had begun questioning Jordan again.
“Who brought you to practice?”
“My dad this morning.”
“Your dad isn’t at work?”
Jordan shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
Morris looked toward Holloway.
“He’s seven, Grant.”
“I’m verifying.”
Jordan stared toward the entrance.
Morris crouched so they were closer to eye level.
“Jordan, are your parents coming in a black SUV?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
Jordan thought.
“Big.”
Morris smiled faintly.
“Fair enough.”
Then a black SUV turned into the access lane.
Jordan’s whole body changed.
“That’s them!”
Before either officer could respond, Jordan ran two steps toward the road.
Holloway reached one hand out reflexively.
“Whoa. Stay here.”
Jordan froze instantly.
His face went pale.
Marcus saw it from the driver’s seat.
He saw his seven-year-old son standing beside a police cruiser with his belongings spread across the ground.
He saw a white officer with one hand extended toward him.
He saw Jordan clutching a plastic dinosaur against his chest.
Marcus stopped the SUV.
Both front doors opened.
He came around the driver’s side.
Vanessa emerged from the passenger side.
Jordan saw them.
“Mom!”
That single word broke Vanessa.
She had been walking quickly.
Now she moved faster.
Marcus reached Jordan first.
He dropped to one knee.
“You okay?”
Jordan threw both arms around his father’s neck.
Marcus held him.
“Yes or no, buddy. Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did anybody touch you?”
Jordan shook his head.
“No.”
Vanessa reached them.
Jordan immediately changed arms.
He buried his face against his mother.
Officer Morris recognized Vanessa before Holloway did.
He went completely still.
Holloway took another second.
Then his expression changed too.
Vanessa Ellis was the elected mayor of Columbus.
Her face appeared on local news several times a week.
She had spent that afternoon at a transportation funding ceremony downtown, which explained the navy pantsuit, city pin, and heels now standing among fallen yellow leaves.
None of that mattered to Jordan.
He only knew his mother was there.
“They opened my backpack.”
Vanessa looked over his head.
The contents were still scattered beside the bench.
A child’s jersey.
Shoes.
Crackers.
Crayons.
Homework.
A folded family drawing.
Her expression changed.
Marcus felt it.
So did Morris.
Holloway spoke.
“Mayor Ellis.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Why are my seven-year-old son’s things on the ground?”
Holloway straightened.
“We received a suspicious-person call.”
Marcus stared at him.
“A suspicious-person call?”
“Yes, sir.”
Marcus looked down at Jordan.
Then back at the officer.
“He’s seven.”
“The caller reported someone moving around parked vehicles.”
Jordan pulled away from his mother.
“I was looking for your car.”