“Mr. Whitmore.”
Bradley turned.
“My office.”
His face collapsed further.
“Patricia.”
“Now.”
Before he moved, Lawrence said:
“One more thing.”
Bradley stopped.
Lawrence looked toward the account.
“If Wesley had twelve dollars, would your behavior have been acceptable?”
Bradley stared.
Lawrence waited.
“No.”
“If his grandmother had left twelve cents?”
Bradley’s eyes dropped.
“No.”
“If he had walked in with no account at all and simply asked for directions?”
“No.”
Lawrence nodded.
“Good.”
“Remember that.”
Patricia led Bradley toward the offices.
Chelsea remained behind the counter.
She looked toward Wesley.
Her eyes were wet.
“I’m sorry too.”
Wesley remembered her smile.
“Why?”
Chelsea flinched.
“For participating.”
Wesley looked toward Lawrence.
He did not tell him what to say.
That mattered.
Wesley answered:
“You knew it was wrong.”
Chelsea’s mouth trembled.
“Yes.”
“But you laughed.”
“Yes.”
Wesley thought of Grandma Eleanor.
Then said:
“Then next time don't.”
Chelsea nodded.
“I won't.”
Jerome stood several feet away.
He looked as though he had aged years that morning.
“Wesley.”
The boy turned.
Jerome removed his security cap.
Held it in both hands.
“I should have stopped it.”
Wesley remembered the phone.
“You gave me my phone.”
Jerome’s eyes filled.
“That was not enough.”
“No.”
Jerome swallowed.
“No, it wasn't.”
He looked toward Lawrence.
Then Wesley.
“I was afraid of losing my job.”
Wesley frowned slightly.
Jerome continued:
“That explains why I stayed quiet.”
“It does not make it right.”
Wesley looked at him.
Adults rarely spoke like that.
Most adults explained themselves until the explanation sounded like innocence.
Jerome was not doing that.
Wesley asked:
“Would you do it again?”
Jerome shook his head.
“No.”
“How do you know?”
Jerome looked toward the office Bradley disappeared into.
“Because today I saw what my silence looked like from the other side.”
Wesley did not fully understand.
He would later.
Diane approached next.
She had been crying.
“I’m sorry.”
Wesley looked toward her.
She clutched her purse.
“I watched.”
“I left.”
“Then I came back.”
“But I still didn't stop him.”
Wesley remembered seeing her.
“Why did you come back?”
“Because I couldn't drive away.”
He considered that.
Diane wiped her eyes.
“I’m filing a statement.”
“Everything I heard.”
“Everything I saw.”
Wesley nodded.
“Okay.”
She looked surprised.
“That's all?”
“What else?”
Diane almost laughed through tears.
“I don't know.”
Wesley thought.
Then: