“I need to talk to you.”
“About what? What you did at the field today?”
“Listen to me,” Mason said. Then he stopped. What the hell was he going to say? How could he possibly explain this?
“I’m calling the police, Nick. You can’t be here.”
Mason was surprised to hear his name. He’d never met the man before. He’d never said a word to him.
“You gotta leave,” Mason said. “All three of you. Now.”
Brad just looked at him.
“Go somewhere safe,” Mason said. “Don’t tell anybody where you’re going. Give me your cell phone number. I’ll call you when things change.”
Brad listened to every word. When Mason was done, he shook his head.
“What . . .” he said, drawing out each word, “. . . are . . . you . . . talking . . . about . . . ?”
“I can’t tell you,” Mason said. “You just have to believe me. Take them and go.”
Brad took a step away, rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head like he was waking himself from a bad dream. Turning back to Mason, he said, “Haven’t you caused us enough trouble?”
“Yes. But, right now, I’m just trying to keep Gina and Adriana safe. And I need your help to do that.”
“You know I’m trying to do the same thing, right? I’m trying to protect . . .” Brad hesitated and took a quick look back at the house. “I’m trying to protect your daughter. You want me to do that, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“So let me do that. Whatever this is you’re bringing here, you know it’s not good for her. This doesn’t belong in her life. You don’t belong in her life.”
Mason had spent so much of the past few days hating him, but he knew this man would protect Adriana with everything he had. He’d give his life for her. That was Mason’s best chance to get through to him.
“If I was in your place,” Mason said, “I’d be just as pissed off. But I’d listen if somebody like me said there was a real threat.”
“Then let’s go to the police.”
This man didn’t grow up where Mason did. He didn’t live through the past few days. Mason figured his last contact with a police officer in uniform was giving him his license, registration, and proof of insurance when he forgot to slow down at the speed trap.
“You can’t take this to the police,” Mason said. “You have to trust me.”
Before Brad could say another word, the front door opened. A new rectangle of light was cast across the lawn and, for an instant, Mason saw Adriana shadowed against it.
Then he saw Gina taking her away from the door and closing it. That one single moment, it hit Mason harder than any punch he’d ever taken. He had to close his eyes and swallow.
“I need to talk to her,” Mason said.
Brad shook his head.
“I need to talk to my daughter,” Mason said. “We can do it right here. Wherever you want. With you or with you and Gina. I just need to see her for one minute.”
“She’s been through a lot today, Nick.”
“I’m asking for one minute.”
Brad looked toward the house. “She was very upset about what happened at the field. But she thought she recognized you. She was asking if that was you even though Gina told her she’d never see you again.”
Another gut punch. Mason took it and waited for whatever was going to come next.
“I’ll be right back,” Brad said.
He turned and went back into the house, leaving Mason to stand there in the darkness. When he came back out, he walked halfway down the lawn until Mason could see his face.
“One minute,” Brad said.
Mason closed his eyes and let out his breath. Then he followed Brad back to the front door.
When Brad opened it, Gina was standing there. With Adriana.
She was wearing pajamas—little elephants in a row, marching single file around her body, one elephant holding on to the tail of the next with its trunk. When he saw her at the field, her hair had been braided. Now it was wet and hanging down to her shoulders.
“Hi,” his daughter said to him.
All of the words Mason had thought he’d say to her when he finally got this chance deserted him. His mind was empty.
“Hello,” Mason said.
He looked up at Gina. She had her lips pursed tight, one arm folded across her chest, the other around Adriana’s shoulder.
“You’re a good soccer player,” Mason said. “You’re very fast.”
She nodded.
“Faster than all the boys,” he said.
“Except one,” she said. “Branden is faster.”
Mason smiled.
“I’m sorry about what happened today,” he said.
“I saw you chase that man,” Adriana said. “He was taking my picture.”
“I’m sorry if it scared you.”
“He was creepy,” Adriana said. “I’m glad you chased him away.”
There was a pause. Gina kept watching him closely. He wasn’t sure where to go next.
“Adriana,” he said, “do you remember me?”
“I thought I saw you at another game, too.”
“Do you remember when we all lived together? When you were four years old?”