Chapter 12 - A Daughter's Answer
Micah came back through the side door before anyone could call him. His face was pale, and he was holding Winnie's shoebox city as if it could keep the world from falling apart.
"A man asked whether Ruth was inside," he said. "I told him to leave. He said Beth had promised us a meeting."
Moreno sent an officer to check. The SUV had driven away. No one was hurt, but the vehicle had been recorded on the building's exterior cameras.
Ruth asked for another minute with Beth while the rest of us arranged the move. "I need to hear you answer one question."
Beth looked at her. "What?"
"When you called the police on Walter, did you want them to believe you?"
"Yes."
"Did you know that could damage his life even after the truth came out?"
Beth rubbed her face. "I told myself he'd be home by morning. I thought everyone would be angry with him, then Mom would sign."
"You mean I would be frightened enough to sign."
Beth nodded. "Yes."
It was the first clean answer she'd given. Ruth cried, but she didn't move toward her daughter.
"I love you," she said. "I am not going to lie for you."
Beth leaned forward as if to take her hand. Ruth kept both hands in her lap.
In the corridor, Leah whispered, "Will Winnie have to testify?"
"We're hoping she won't need to," Moreno said. "We'll keep children out of adult confrontations whenever we can."
Leah nodded, then crouched beside Winnie. "We're going to Aunt Jess's house for a sleepover."
"What about Grandpa?"
"He's coming later."
Winnie searched my face, and I remembered how Beth had counted the five of us like chairs around a table. I knelt and promised I would call before bedtime.
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Then an officer appeared with a photograph from the SUV's license plate camera. The passenger was Calvin Doss.
The driver was a man we'd never seen before, and he was still parked one block from Leah's planned route.
