When's the hearing? Thursday, 7:00 town hall. You're entitled to attend and speak on your own behalf, and I'd strongly recommend you do." Doyle studied her for a long moment. "Miss Hail, whatever's in your past that let you handle that boy the way you did on that sidewalk, calm, controlled textbook, if I'm being honest, it might be worth considering whether that's a story you want to tell Thursday night.
Sometimes the truth is the fastest way through a lie." Ren's hand drifted briefly to the trident charm at her collar. Maybe, she said. I'll think about it. That's all I'd ask.
Doyle stood, gathering the paper. You're free to go, by the way. I'm sorry it took this long. You were doing your job, Ren said, and meant it. I understand procedure better than you'd probably guess.
Something flickered in Doyle's expression. A question he didn't quite ask. Filed away for later the way Frank had filed away the ghost of a patch on her backpack. The way this whole town, it seemed, was slowly filling a folder on Ren Hail that she hadn't given anyone permission to open. Outside, the evening had gone fully dark, street lights humming to life along Main Street, and Frank, Nora, and Marjorie were waiting on the sidewalk when Ren finally walked out through the station's front doors.
"There she is," Frank said, relief plain on his face. And for a moment, nobody said anything at all. The four of them just standing there under the street light. The particular quiet of people who had been afraid for each other and were only now letting themselves stop. You didn't have to give statements, Ren said.
Any of you didn't have to breathe today either, Marjorie said, pulling her into a quick floweredented hug. Did it anyway. Some things aren't optional, honey. Nora, still pale but steadier now, reached out and squeezed Ren's hand. "Thank you," she said quietly.
"For this morning." "I don't think I've said that properly yet." "You don't need to thank me." "I'm going to anyway," Norah said. "And something about that, the plain stubborn kindness of it, made Ren's throat tighten in a way 4 seconds on a pharmacy sidewalk hadn't managed to.