Chapter 7
Two weeks passed in a blur of gray motels, sleeping in abandoned cars, and scouring parking lots for dropped change. Leo kept a mental calendar, marking the passage of time by the changing phases of the moon and the ache in her bones. When Thursday morning arrived, the sky was overcast, casting a pale, washed-out light over the downtown district.
Without needing to discuss it, Leo took Toby by the hand and guided him back toward the industrial corridor. Her pocket held the red wallet, which now contained two additional pennies she had found wedged between the seats of a public bus two days prior. It wasn't much closer to the true cost of two loaded sandwiches, but the accumulation mattered. It was proof of intent.
Rounding the corner of the brick warehouse, Leo’s eyes searched the asphalt for the familiar splash of green and purple paint. There it was, parked in the exact same spot, the small metal chimney puffing a thin wisp of white smoke into the damp morning air. Arthur was already inside, his broad shoulders visible through the service window as he chopped onions on a wooden board.
Toby pulled back slightly, suddenly shy, but Leo gripped his hand firmly and led him forward. They stopped at the ledge of the window, just as they had two weeks before. Arthur looked up, knife pausing mid-chop, and a slow, genuine smile spread across his bearded face.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite investors," Arthur said, setting the knife down and wiping his hands on his apron. He walked over to the window, leaning out to get a better look at them. "You guys made good time."
Leo didn't smile, but the tense set of her shoulders eased just a fraction. She reached into her pocket, pulling out the red wallet with slow, deliberate care. She flipped it open, resting it on the stainless-steel ledge right in front of him.
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"We're back," Leo announced, her voice steady. "We don't have the full amount yet, but we brought what we saved."
Arthur looked down at the wallet. The three nickels, the single crumpled dollar bill, and the two new pennies sat neatly in the worn leather folds. He didn't laugh. He didn't wave it away. He looked at the coins, then looked up into Leo’s unwavering eyes with a profound, quiet respect.
