The president of the North Star Riders.
Walter “Moose” Keller answered on the second ring.
“What happened?”
Ray frowned.
“Why do you assume something happened?”
“It's two in the morning.”
“Fair.”
Ray told him.
Not everything.
Enough.
A little girl.
Seven.
Homeless.
Gas station.
Attack.
Teddy bear.
“Don't hurt Santa.”
Moose became silent.
Then:
“She called you Santa?”
“Yes.”
“That’s hilarious.”
“Focus.”
“I am focused.”
“Tomorrow’s toy run.”
“Yeah?”
“Change the route.”
“To where?”
Ray looked through the glass.
Daisy slept.
“Gas station.”
Moose was quiet.
Ray continued.
“No fighting.”
“Obviously.”
“No intimidation.”
“I know.”
“No nonsense about going after those idiots.”
“They’re already in jail.”
“Good.”
Ray lowered his voice.
“I want Daisy to see something.”
“What?”
“That when one person stands up for somebody…”
He looked down.
“…sometimes somebody stands up for them too.”
Moose understood.
“How many?”
Ray said:
“Whoever wants to come.”
That was his mistake.
At 7:10 Christmas morning, Daisy woke.
For several seconds, she did not know where she was.
White room.
Window.
Christmas garland taped crookedly above the sink.
Buttons.
Then she remembered.
Ray was asleep in a chair outside the room.
His head tilted against the wall.
His beard rested on his chest.
Daisy slid out of bed.
The floor was cold beneath hospital socks.
She walked to him.
Touched his sleeve.
Ray opened one eye.
“Morning.”
“You stayed.”
He opened the other.
“Told you.”
Daisy looked at the window.
“Is it Christmas?”
“Apparently.”
She looked uncertain.
“Did Santa come?”
Ray sighed.
“You are going to make this difficult for me.”
Daisy smiled.
First real smile he had seen.
At eight, Teresa arrived.
She had found Daisy a temporary foster home.
A retired elementary teacher named Martha Greene and her husband.
Licensed.
Experienced with emergency placements.
No other children currently living there.
Dog.
Fenced yard.
They were willing to keep Daisy through the holiday period while relatives were located.
Daisy listened.
Then asked one question.
“Buttons?”
Teresa nodded.
“Buttons gets his own pillow if he wants one.”
Daisy looked suspicious.
“Bears don't use pillows.”
Ray whispered:
“Finally, somebody says it.”
Daisy giggled.
Teresa noticed.
That sound mattered.
Before they left, Ray asked: