Daniel watched him, face set somewhere between defiance and defense.When Jem didn’t correct him, they melted into an uncertain smile.
“He was shorter than me,” Daniel said.“That’s why it surprised me.”
“That’ll happen sometimes.”
“Why are you talking to me like this?”
“How do you want me to talk to you?”
“Dad says you’re bad for Uncle Tean.He says you cheat people out of their money.”
“Do you want to know the truth?”
Daniel cocked his head, but he nodded slowly.
With a grin, Jem said, “Give me five dollars.”
Daniel rolled his eyes, but a hint of a smile crept out.Then his expression changed to something like startlement.“Holy shit!He had a scar!”
“What?”
“The guy.The man from the park.He had a scar on his arm.I forgot, but then—” He pushed up the sleeve of Tean’s jacket to expose his forearm.“When we were—when he was kissing me, I didn’t know where to put my hands, so I grabbed his arms.And I pushed his sleeve up by accident.I felt the scar—you know how it feels different?”
Jem nodded.
“It was like this,” Daniel said, tracing a crescent on his forearm.“And he didn’t like me touching it, because he pushed my hand away and pulled the sleeve down again.”
“See?That’s surprisingly good for a kid who has been keeping all his brains in his dick.”
It took a moment, but then Daniel laughed.“Bro!”
“You were watching for him, right?At the park?”
Daniel nodded.
“What was he driving?”
The hesitation lasted a second too long.“I don’t know.”
Jem watched the boy, trying to read him.“Are you sure about that?”
“I don’t know.I didn’t see.”
“A truck?A sedan?”
“The parking lot was too far away.”
“Try that again.This time, make eye contact.”
Splotches of red rose in Daniel’s cheeks again.“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“I want you to stop lying to me.”
“I’m not lying!”
“Come on.We were doing so well.”Jem waited, but Daniel folded in on himself and dropped his gaze.“All right,” Jem said.“Let’s go find Tean.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”