She poured iced tea and placed a plate of cookies on the table.
For a while, they talked about Leonard.
His jokes.
His stubbornness.
His insistence on keeping every receipt.
Then Naomi explained what had happened during her traffic stop.
Tessa listened without moving.
When Naomi mentioned Derek Malloy, her expression changed.
"That man."
Naomi nodded.
"Yes."
Tessa looked toward Isaiah.
"He told you?"
"He did."
Tessa closed her eyes.
"My father spent months trying to get somebody to review what happened."
Naomi waited.
Tessa continued.
"He wasn't asking for special treatment. He wanted his car back or a fair explanation of why they could take it."
She looked at her hands.
"The car wasn't worth much to anybody else."
Her voice trembled.
"But it was worth everything to him."
Naomi leaned forward.
"Because of his appointments?"
"That. And his freedom."
Tessa wiped her eyes.
"He hated asking people for rides. He'd worked his whole life. He didn't want to become a burden."
"Did he miss medical appointments because of the tow?"
"Some were rescheduled. I drove him whenever I could, but I work shifts."
She took a breath.
"I won't pretend the car situation caused every problem with his health. He was already sick. But it made a hard time harder."
Naomi nodded.
"That's an important distinction."
Tessa looked up.
"You're a lawyer?"
"A military lawyer. I'm here as Leonard's friend's daughter, not in an official investigative role."
Tessa studied her.
Then she said, "Good."
Naomi looked surprised.
Tessa continued.
"I'm tired of people making promises because they have titles."
The words struck Naomi.
Tessa glanced toward her father's photograph.
"I want somebody to read what he wrote and tell me what can actually be shown."
Naomi smiled gently.
"That's exactly what I want."
Tessa gave permission for copies of Leonard's records to be reviewed by independent counsel.
She kept the originals.
Naomi helped organize the materials, but she did not assume control of the case.
That mattered to her.
Leonard's family had already spent too much time being told what other people thought was best.
Tessa deserved to make her own decisions.
Before Naomi left, Tessa took a small envelope from a kitchen drawer.
"My father wanted Chief Brooks to have this."
Isaiah looked surprised.
"Me?"
Tessa nodded.