“I don’t want to go.”

“I didn’t ask if you wanted to. Get up.”

But Matty would not.

The panic was reaching the edge of Jack now, and he tried to breathe it away. He went to the window and pulled up the blinds and scanned the parking lot, but there was no one. Shapes of snow falling incandescent in the light. The faint boot tracks were almost gone. But Doyle would be back.

So be it.

He took Batman from the duffel and sat beside Matty on the carpet and gave him the action figure. Matty took it wordlessly, and that was that. They sat in silence.

Jack said, “I should have been more careful.”

Matty wouldn’t look at him.

“Talk to me,” Jack said.

Matty just sat there, head bowed, holding Batman between his knees. After a minute Matty said something, but Jack couldn’t understand him.

“What?” he asked.

Matty looked up. His tired face. “I don’t want to leave her.”

They stared at each other.

“I don’t want to leave her either.”

His voice was thick. He spoke again.

“I don’t want to leave her either—”

He swallowed, drew a breath. Ache in his throat. Words could not convey the dull pain of it. The raw glow from the window spilled over them. He studied Matty, the lines of his furrowed brow. The set jaw, stubborn. He choked back rage. Will you live to see it? To see him become a man?

“Come on, short stuff,” Jack said.

Matty shifted. “She said to wait.”

“We can’t just wait.”

“She told us not to go anywhere.”

“I know, but—”

“But we did. And Red got run over.”

They each fell quiet. Jack looked at the window, where snow pressed against the pane.

“Listen to me,” he said. “You are my brother. My job is to take care of you. I will always do that. I will keep you safe. I will do whatever is needed. Do you understand?”

“He was the police.”

Jack swallowed, said nothing.

“The police are the good guys. Right?”

“I keep messing up. I’m sorry.”

But Matty wouldn’t answer.

“I don’t want to leave her either. But we can’t stay in this place. We can’t. I can’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Okay.”

“You said we have to be smart. So they don’t find us. Well, this is smart.”

“Okay.”

“I have to make sure no one hurts you.”

“I don’t want you to cry.”

“I’m not.”

“You look like you’re going to.”

“I won’t.”

“Okay.”

Silence spun out. Sun dimmed and brightened again.

Matty was looking at him, his gaze clear, his small face wet in the vivid light. He got up and put on his coat and stocking hat. Holding Batman in his hand.

“Okay,” Matty said. “Let’s go.”