11 Chapter 11

The cops nodded to him on their way out, and he returned the gesture before heading over to Mrs. Shaladi. “Are you okay?” he asked her.

She looked up at him with huge, terrified brown eyes and bit her lip. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and promise safety, but she’d never been at all tactile and he was pretty sure that she wouldn’t take that as a welcoming gesture. She just nodded and let go of Ali’s shoulder. “The man is gone now, yes?”

“For now.” Cameron swallowed. “Hopefully the cops will get him.” He tugged at his collar and reminded himself, again, that this was not his fault. “I have some water for you and the kids. Want me to bring it inside?” Funny how the whole incident with the faucets seemed like it had happened days ago. It had been maybe an hour and a half, and they still needed clean water for the night.

Cameron carried three cases of water into the Shaladis’ unit and got Ali to carry the bleach. Then he brought his own water inside and hunkered down.