“They’re working you hard at school? Good, that’s good. That’s what you’re there for, right? Chad hasn’t complained but to be honest, we’re not that close. His mom pretty much raised him. How about music? What’s your favorite band?”

“I don’t have one.”

“Okay. What about decades? Forget it, we’ll do eighties. You’re okay with eighties? Fine.”

At some point, after the sky went dark and the red and yellow lights on the road started to sting his eyes, Trevor let himself nod off. A dream came immediately: He was knocking on Claudia’s dorm-room door. He was drunk, head spinning, words tumbling out like rocks from a bag. The door opened; when he saw his mom and dad the words turned to sounds. He was grunting and spitting like an animal, kneeling on the floor. And then, from behind him, a hand on his shoulder and her voice: “Trevor, it’ll be all right. I promise.”

He awoke with a gasp. Ridley had turned down the radio.

“I was going to let you sleep.”

Trevor straightened up, looked out the window.

“Mohegan Sun’s coming up. You want to stop off? Play some games? Get a steak?”

Was he serious?

“I’m good,” said Trevor.

“Cool. Just trying to be friendly. Figured you might want to blow off some steam.”

“In a casino?”

“Okay, that’s not your thing.”

Ridley dropped the subject and turned the music up.

“Do you think I’ve forgotten that you robbed me?” Trevor asked. “Or what your son did to Claudia? And me?”

“I’m sure you haven’t forgotten any of that.”

“Then what are you doing? You want to take me to a casino? For steak?”

“I suppose it’s my way of apologizing. Trying to set things right. I’m a lawyer; I like the scales to balance.”

What a terrifying person, Trevor thought, looking at Ridley. Could anyone in this man’s life, anyone on this earth, divine whether he was telling the truth?

They crossed into Manhattan and when Trevor saw the tip of the Empire State Building he told Ridley he would pay back the $2,000 bail.

“Forget it, please,” said Ridley.

“No offense,” said Trevor, “but I don’t want to be in debt to you.”

“Stop. You act like I did something so horrible. I’m protecting my son. I’m sure your father would do the same.”

Trevor decided to stop talking. He’d be home soon.