The grandfather closed his eyes.
The sheriff continued:
“He denies intending physical harm.”
“Following someone under a protective order through mountain roads is already harm.”
The grandfather looked at him.
“Agreed.”
“Charges?”
“Multiple.”
“Later.”
The grandfather nodded.
He did not ask to see the man.
Did not ask where he was held.
That surprised the sheriff.
The grandfather looked toward the ambulance.
“I’ve got somewhere else to be.”
The neighbor answered on the first ring.
“Tell me.”
The grandfather’s voice broke.
“We found her.”
Silence.
Then a sound halfway between a sob and a laugh.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Alive.”
The neighbor cried openly.
The grandfather continued:
“She’s cold.”
“Hurt.”
“But she’s awake.”
The neighbor asked:
“Can I tell the girl?”
The grandfather closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Then quickly:
“Wait.”
“What?”
He wanted to do it.
That was selfish.
He knew.
The mother had trusted the neighbor with eleven years.
He had been grandfather for less than a day.
“Tell her.”
he said.
“She shouldn’t have to wait for me.”
The neighbor understood what that cost him.
“I’ll tell her.”
The grandfather ended the call.
He stood beside the road beneath falling snow.
His oldest biker friend had somehow learned where the command post was despite orders not to bring the club.
One pickup appeared.
Only him.
He got out.
The sheriff looked annoyed.
The grandfather shrugged.
“I didn’t call him.”
The old biker approached.
“Found?”
“Yes.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
The older man’s shoulders dropped.
He looked away.
Wiped his face.
Then pretended he had snow in his eyes.
The grandfather said nothing.
His friend asked:
“You touch him?”
“No.”
“You want to?”
The grandfather thought.
“Yes.”
“You going to?”
“No.”
The older biker nodded.
“Good.”
The grandfather looked toward him.
“There’s that word again.”
His friend smiled.
Hospital lights were too bright at four in the morning.
The grandfather hated hospitals.
He had hated them for twenty years.
His wife had died beneath fluorescent ceilings that made everyone look already gone.
Now he sat in a waiting room holding vending-machine coffee he did not drink.
The neighbor arrived with the girl at dawn.
The granddaughter ran toward him.
He stood.
She stopped just before reaching him.