I didn't expect to find anything. Not really.
The kind of person who watched children through windows and smiled without blinking wasn't careless. He wouldn't stroll into frame, wave to the camera, and pose for identification. Still, if there was even a sliver of a chance—something subtle, something missed—I had to check.
It was a weekday. The school would still be open. And if this figure had been watching Lea from a distance… maybe, just maybe, they'd made a mistake.
I took the subway to the district edge, switching lines once. My coat collar was pulled high, the Mr. Dust outfit toned down to avoid panic or spectacle. I still felt the weight of eyes on me, though whether it was suspicion or reverence, I couldn't tell. The whispers followed.
They always do now.
