Leah’s knees felt liquid. “Let’s all sit down for a minute,” she said to the kids, “and catch our breath until the police officer is ready to speak with us.” She sat heavily on the grass.

The kids plopped around her.

It didn’t take long before the officer began asking them questions. While they answered, Sebastian stood several yards to the side, alone. The long-sleeved work-out shirt he wore with scrub pants emphasized his muscled shoulders. Arms crossed, features granite-hard, he peered at the street . . . though he didn’t appear to be registering anything at all.

“Can you please contact your mom for me and explain to her what’s happened?” Officer Wagner asked Claire.

The teen nodded and brought her mom up to speed with a quick and hushed conversation. “She’ll be here in about thirty minutes to pick us up,” Claire told the officer.

“Good. I’ll take Mr. Dobney to the station.” He looked between Leah and Mr. Hawthorne. “Can one of you stay with the children until their mother arrives?”

“I’d be happy to,” Mr. Hawthorne said. “I know the kids well. My wife and I have lived next door for ten years.”

“Is that okay with all of you?” the officer asked the four children.

“Definitely,” Claire told him.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. Let your mother know that she can reach me by calling the station.” He drove off, Wes a hulking figure in his back seat.

One by one, they stood. When Mr. Hawthorne approached Mason to have a look at his injury, Claire drew near Leah. “Thank you.” Her mouth trembled. “Thank you for coming to help us.”

“You’re welcome. How your father treated you just now . . . it’s not acceptable or right. That’s not what love looks like.”

Claire nodded.

“Those of us at school,” Leah continued, “will team up with your mom to make sure you’re all safe and protected and cared for.”

“We’ll be good with my mom.”

“I’ll call and check on you tomorrow. If you need anything between now and then, let me know.”

“I will. Ms. Montgomery . . . I’m so, so sorry about this.”

“It’s not your fault. I’m glad that you texted me.”

“I’m really sorry, though.”

Mr. Hawthorne led Claire and her siblings inside, and Leah was left in the suddenly empty, silent front yard with Sebastian.

She’d seen a side of him just now that she’d known existed but hadn’t witnessed. Today, she’d glimpsed the tough foster kid who didn’t back down and wasn’t afraid to use his fists.

She placed herself directly in front of him and saw that a pink-and-red bruise stretched from near the corner of his eye across his temple. His pale gray irises glistened like jewels.