Chapter 9 - A Mother's Pride Begins to Crack
The supermarket employee introduced herself.
"My name is Teresa."
She looked nervous.
"I wasn't sure if it mattered."
"It does," one of the paramedics replied.
"Please tell us."
Teresa nodded slowly.
"I caught the six o'clock bus this morning."
She pointed toward Ethan.
"He boarded three stops after me."
Ethan frowned.
"I don't remember."
"You looked exhausted."
"You kept checking your phone."
"I remember that."
"But another man boarded behind you."
"What man?"
"He never sat down."
Teresa closed her eyes, trying to remember every detail.
"He wore a gray baseball cap."
"Sunglasses."
"And black gloves."
The nurse exchanged another glance with the paramedics.
"In July?"
Teresa nodded.
"It seemed strange."
"He never stopped watching Ethan."
The mother felt a chill run through her body.
"What happened?"
"When Ethan got off near the hospital..."
Teresa continued,
"...the man followed him."
"Did they speak?"
"I couldn't hear."
"But before the doors closed..."
She hesitated.
"I saw the man grab Ethan's shoulder."
Ethan's eyes widened.
"I thought someone bumped into me."
Teresa slowly shook her head.
"No."
"He leaned close."
"It looked like he whispered something."
"What?"
"I couldn't hear."
"But..."
She looked at the broken brace again.
"...seconds later you stumbled."
Silence filled the bus once more.
The paramedic carefully placed the damaged brace into an evidence bag.
"If someone tampered with this after that encounter..."
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
The implication was obvious.
The mother suddenly stood.
She walked toward Ethan with trembling hands.
"I owe you an apology."
Ethan looked at her quietly.
"I judged you."
"I embarrassed you."
"I forced you to stand."
Tears filled her eyes.
"And because of me..."
She couldn't finish.
Ethan gently interrupted.
"You didn't know."
"I should have asked."
"Maybe."
"I only saw your tattoos."
She looked down.
"I never saw the person."
The little girl hugged Ethan's arm.
"I'm glad I know you now."
For the first time that day, Ethan smiled without forcing it.
Outside, another police vehicle stopped behind the ambulance.
Two detectives stepped onto the bus.
One of them looked directly at Ethan.
"Mr. Cole."
"We've finally found you."
His partner opened a thin investigation folder.
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Across the front, in bold red letters, were the words:
ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE.
