He Backed Toward Her Father and Never Hit the Brakes

CHAPTER 2 - THE CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT

"My husband doesn't have a daughter."

For one stunned second, Lena told herself she had imagined the child.

But when the rear door opened, the little girl climbed out on her own.

She was maybe eight. Brown curls. Yellow cardigan. One sneaker untied.

And she looked at Lena as if she knew her.

The driver door opened too. Graham stepped out of the SUV slowly, like a man approaching a wild animal. He had always been careful with his movements, careful with his words. That was one of the things Lena had once loved about him.

Now it made her skin crawl.

"Lena," he said. "Please. Not here."

Frank gave a harsh laugh from the wheelchair. "You almost ran me over in a supermarket parking lot, and now you're worried about making a scene?"

Heads were turning all around them.

The boy who had saved Frank had backed away, but he still stood close, watching. His sneakers were scuffed. His T-shirt was too thin for the cool afternoon. A woman with a cashier badge came hurrying over and called, "Owen! Stay with me, honey."

So his name was Owen.

The little girl beside Graham clutched the edge of his jacket. "Daddy?"

The word landed like another collision.

Lena stared at Graham. "Who is she?"

Graham closed his eyes for a second. "Her name is Ruby."

"Daddy," Ruby repeated, now frightened by Lena's voice and Frank's anger.

Frank's hand shook against the wheelchair arm. "You married my daughter five years ago."

"I know," Graham said.

Lena took one step closer. "Answer me. Why did that child call you Daddy?"

Before Graham could speak, the cashier reached Owen and put both hands on his shoulders.

"He ran because he recognized that SUV," she said, out of breath. "It was here yesterday too. The same man was backing up near the handicap spaces, just watching."

Lena turned back to her husband.

And this time, Graham didn't deny it.