"I know."
"But..."
Her voice cracked.
"But I'm glad you said something."
Sophie clung to her.
Marcus spoke softly.
"Ma'am."
Elena looked at him.
"Your daughter did something most adults wouldn't."
Elena wiped her cheek.
"She shouldn't have had to."
"No."
Marcus nodded.
"She shouldn't."
For the first time, Elena really looked at him.
Past the tattoos.
Past the beard.
Past the leather.
His expression was not aggressive.
It was grateful.
"Thank you for listening to her."
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Sophie.
"Thank her for not assuming I'd ignore her."
Snake cleared his throat and looked away.
Diesel pretended to study his tools.
Flash suddenly approached with his tablet.
"Boss."
Marcus stood.
"What?"
"Camera."
He tilted the screen.
"I talked to Rosy. She gave me access."
On the video, a black Mercedes entered the parking lot at 8:14 that morning.
A man stepped out.
Gray suit.
White shirt.
Blue tie.
Short dark hair.
Glasses.
Sophie pointed.
"That's him."
Elena's arm tightened around her.
The video showed the man walking past Marcus's Harley.
Then returning several minutes later.
He looked around.
Knelt.
Opened a small black bag.
Disappeared partially beneath the motorcycle.
The timestamp continued.
Eight minutes.
Ten.
Fourteen.
At one point, he pulled out a phone.
Typed.
Then returned to the brake line.
Marcus watched without expression.
The man eventually stood, wiped his hands and returned to his car.
Flash paused the video as the Mercedes passed the camera.
License plate visible.
"Got it."
Marcus nodded.
"Save copies."
"Already three backups."
"Call the sheriff."
Flash raised an eyebrow.
Marcus looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Say it."
"You usually hate calling cops."
"This isn't usually."
Marcus looked toward Sophie.
"We're doing this clean."
Flash nodded.
"Got it."
That decision would matter later.
At the time, Marcus did not know how much.
A county deputy arrived twenty minutes later.
Then a detective.
The Harley remained untouched except for the controlled inspection Diesel had documented.
The damaged brake line was photographed, removed and sealed as evidence.
Rosy's security footage was copied.
Sophie gave a short statement with Elena beside her.
Marcus watched from a distance.
He disliked the way the detective asked the same questions three different ways, but Elena seemed to understand why.
When it was over, Sophie looked exhausted.
Marcus bought her pancakes.
She insisted on chocolate chips.
Elena started to object.
Marcus said, "She earned them."
Sophie nodded vigorously.
Elena surrendered.
While they ate, Flash sat at another table with his laptop.
Twenty minutes later, he looked up.
"Marcus."
Marcus joined him.
"What?"
"Plate belongs to Anthony Breslin."
"Breslin?"
Flash turned the screen.
"Forty-one. Executive vice president, Harmon Development Corporation."
Marcus's expression changed.