Chapter 4 - Walter Carter Was Afraid To Walk Near Mia
Walter stopped ten feet from the girls.
He did not move closer.
That was the first thing I noticed.
Mia looked at him.
No recognition.
Walter looked at her once, then away.
Sophie whispered:
“Is that Grandpa?”
I did not answer.
Walter heard.
His face changed.
Only slightly.
“Hello, Sophie.”
She looked at me.
I hated that reflex in myself.
Checking.
Deciding.
I stepped aside.
“You can answer him if you want.”
Sophie looked back.
“Hi.”
Walter swallowed.
It might have been the first word his granddaughter had ever said to him.
He did not make it bigger.
I appreciated that against my will.
Then I asked:
“Why did you tell me to leave Mia in the alley?”
Walter looked toward Celeste.
She folded her arms.
He knew he was not getting institutional protection.
“I thought Leah was coming.”
“That doesn't answer the question.”
“Leah told me never to approach her daughter.”
“So you thought leaving a child alone in an alley was respectful?”
“No.”
He looked irritated now.
“At the time I believed Daniel was watching from his car.”
“He wasn't.”
“I know that now.”
“How were you watching?”
Walter glanced toward the security office.
Celeste said:
“Without authorization.”
He nodded.
“Without authorization.”
At least he wasn't pretending.
“I saw Claire walk into the alley,” he continued. “I panicked.”
“Why?”
“Because if she took Mia home, Leah would believe Daniel had brought the Carter family into this without permission.”
I stared.
“You are the Carter family.”
His mouth tightened.
“That's exactly the problem.”
Mia said quietly:
“Why does my mom hate you?”
Everyone stopped.
Walter looked at her.
He did not answer.
Mia stood.
“You know my mom.”
“Yes.”
“Are you the man Daniel said not to talk to?”
Walter looked toward me.
I raised an eyebrow.
Apparently Daniel had been giving everybody selective safety instructions.
“Yes,” Walter said.
Mia hugged her backpack closer.
“Why?”
Walter took a breath.
“Because I made choices about your mother that weren't mine to make.”
That was careful.
Too careful for a child.
Mia frowned.
“What choices?”
Walter looked at me.
“Not here.”
I nearly laughed.
“Apparently every man in this family owns that phrase.”
His face tightened.
Then footsteps came from the front entrance.
Daniel.
No jacket.
Tie loosened.
He had been nowhere near Philadelphia.
He saw Walter first.
Stopped.
Then Mia.
Then Sophie.
Then me.
His face told me which discovery scared him most.
Me.
“Claire.”
Walter said:
“She knows enough.”
Daniel snapped:
“Stay out of this.”
Walter laughed quietly.
“I tried that for twenty years. We got this.”
Mia looked at Daniel.
“Did you send me the message?”
“No.”
“Did Mom?”
“No.”
“Then who told me to go to the alley?”
Daniel looked toward the camera.
Walter followed his eyes.
Something passed between them.
I saw it.
“What?”
Neither answered.
I stepped between them.
“No. You're not doing family Morse code.”
Daniel looked at Walter.
“Did you send it?”
Walter’s face hardened.
“No.”
Daniel believed him.
I could tell.
That frightened me more than if he hadn't.
“Then who knew Mia was coming?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Leah.”
“Anyone else?”
He hesitated.
One beat.
Too long.
I knew there was another person.
Before he could answer, the main doors opened again.
A woman stood there.
Thirty-something.
Work clothes.
Hair pulled back badly, like she'd done it in a parking lot.
She saw Mia.
Everything else disappeared from her face.
“Mia.”
Mia ran.
The woman dropped to one knee and caught her.
Daniel stayed where he was.
Walter moved farther away.
The woman held her daughter for several seconds.
Then looked over Mia’s shoulder.
At Daniel.
“You promised one meeting.”
Daniel went still.
She looked at Sophie.
Then at me.
May you like
Her face hardened.
“One.”
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