He had his hand over his mouth.
And he was crying.
...
The emergency happened in June.
It was a Friday evening. Summer camp at the academy had just ended. Most of the parents had picked up their kids. Daniel was late, as usual, because a hydraulic lift had broken at the shop and the owner refused to let him leave until it was fixed.
By the time he pulled into the parking lot, the sun was going down.
Lily was waiting on the front steps with Victor and Ethan. Ethan was going to walk home. Victor was locking up.
Daniel had just stepped out of his truck when he heard the shouting.
It came from the alley beside the strip mall. A woman's voice. High. Panicked.
"Stop! Please, give it back!"
Daniel was moving before he decided to move. His body remembered things his mind tried to forget. Victor was right behind him.
"Ethan," Daniel said over his shoulder, without turning. "Stay with Lily. Take her inside. Lock the door. Call 911."
Ethan didn't argue. He grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her back toward the academy.
In the alley, an older woman was on the ground. Her grocery bags had spilled across the pavement.
A man stood over her, holding her purse. He was young, wild-eyed, and shaking. And in his other hand, catching the last light of the evening, was a knife.
He spun around when he heard footsteps.
"Back off!" he screamed. "Back off or I swear—"
Victor stopped. Daniel saw his fists come up. Saw his weight shift forward. Saw every instinct in him getting ready to charge.
"Victor," Daniel said softly. "Don't."
Victor froze.
Daniel raised his empty hands slowly. He kept his voice low and calm, the way he had once spoken to frightened men in places very far from here.
"Hey," he said. "Hey. Nobody's going to hurt you."