Priya walked toward them.
“He came to my door this morning. He told me about his robotics club. He showed me the same flyer.”
Earl joined from the opposite side.
“So did I.”
Lorraine looked around, irritated that witnesses were appearing against the story she had created.
“That doesn’t mean everybody knows him.”
Earl frowned.
“A person doesn’t have to be known by you to walk down a public sidewalk.”
Isaiah looked toward the officers.
“Am I in trouble?”
Officer Vega answered quickly.
“No.”
The speed of her response mattered.
Hargrove crouched slightly so he was closer to Isaiah’s height.
“We’re checking what happened.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“I understand.”
Isaiah looked toward Lorraine.
“She thinks I did.”
Lorraine’s expression tightened.
“I said you were suspicious.”
Isaiah frowned.
“What’s suspicious?”
The question was innocent enough to silence several adults.
Lorraine struggled.
“You were walking up to houses.”
“That’s where the people live.”
Earl coughed into one hand.
Officer Grant looked down to hide a smile.
Isaiah continued.
“My teacher said we have to ask people if they want to donate.”
Lorraine shook her head.
“A child your age shouldn’t be wandering around alone.”
Isaiah looked confused.
“My house is over there.”
He pointed in the direction of Maple Avenue.
“My mom knows where I am.”
Lorraine seized on the detail.
“You don’t even live in Hawthorne Ridge?”
“Near the community center.”
“That’s outside this subdivision.”
Isaiah looked at her.
“So?”
Priya’s expression hardened.
“Exactly.”
Hargrove asked Isaiah for his full name.
“Isaiah Reed.”
“And your school is Hawthorne Elementary?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know your mom’s phone number?”
“Of course.”
Isaiah recited it immediately.
Officer Grant had already pulled out his phone.
Within seconds, he found the school website.
“Fundraiser checks out.”
He turned the screen around.
The official Hawthorne Elementary page displayed the robotics club, the Dallas showcase, fundraising weekend information, and a photograph of Isaiah standing beside his team’s small blue-and-orange robot. Beneath the photo was his name and the caption Junior Coding Team Member.
Vega nodded.
“There we go.”
Lorraine remained unconvinced.
“That could still be part of something.”
Isaiah looked at her.
“Part of what?”
Again, adults struggled to answer a child’s simple question.
Lorraine pointed toward his backpack.
“What’s inside that?”
Isaiah looked down.
“Crackers.”
Officer Vega raised one eyebrow.
Isaiah continued.
“And my water bottle.”
“Anything else?”
“Markers.”
“Robot stickers.”
Lorraine turned toward Hargrove.
“You should look.”
Priya’s mouth opened.