THE GUARD THREW A LITTLE GIRL'S TEDDY INTO THE RAIN—BUT HE HAD NO IDEA WHO HER GRANDFATHER WAS.

Ben wouldn't accept Sal's offer to replace the truck. They met in a diner near the depot because Ben refused the old man's invitation to a private club.

Sal wore an expensive coat and ordered coffee. Ben arrived fifteen minutes late, hands dark with grease, and sat facing the door without taking off his work jacket.

“I called the warehouse,” Sal began. “I'm trying to get the release in writing.”

“Good.”

“I can cover the days you've missed.”

“No.”

“You're not being reasonable.”

Ben laughed so sharply that the waitress glanced over. “You locked up my work truck. Your son threatened my paycheck. My daughter stood in the rain while one of your guards took her bear. But I'm unreasonable because I don't want your money?”

Sal lowered his eyes to the coffee.

“I didn't know Rosie was there.”

“Nora didn't tell me she was going. We both made mistakes. I'm talking about the system your family thinks is normal.”

“Victor went too far.”

“And you've been standing right behind him for twenty years.”

Ben didn't shout. That made it harder to dodge.

Sal set down his cup. “What do you want from me?”

“Get my truck out of your lot. Tell Victor to leave us alone. And don't show up at the school like you own my kid because you share some blood.”

Sal nodded once. The last request hurt more than he would have admitted.

Later that afternoon, Malik Boone appeared at the diner, still wearing his leather jacket. He'd seen Ben go in and had waited outside rather than interrupt. His expression said he hadn't slept.

“I was wrong with your daughter,” he told Ben. “No excuse.”

Ben looked at him for a long time. “You could've called Nora.”

“I should've. I thought I'd lose my job.”

“And now?”

“Now I think I might lose it anyway.” Malik unfolded a slip of paper. “The warehouse cameras recorded what happened when they stopped your truck. I saw the footage. Victor says the recording's gone.”

Ben stared at him.

“Was it?”