“Are we in trouble?” Hazel whispered.
“No. Your dad did something really good. We just came to say thank you.”
“Just for the ring?” Nora asked.
“Just for the ring.”
Another officer stepped forward. “We see people lie and steal all day. It matters to know some folks still do the right thing when no one’s looking.”
I thought about the moment at the washer. Pawn shop on one side. My daughter’s earnest face on the other.
“Thanks for keeping me on the right track, honey,” I told Nora.
One by one, they returned to their cars. Engines turned over. Lights went dark.
Within minutes, the street was quiet again.
The kids looked up at me.
“You were scared,” Nora said.
“Yeah,” I admitted. “Pretty much.”
“But you weren’t in trouble. Because you did the right thing.”
“Guess so.”
Milo tugged my shirt. “Can we have pancakes? For not going to jail?”
“Absolutely.”
