Chapter 11 - Daniel Soto
Daniel walked with a cane.
That was the first thing Dad noticed.
The second was his left hand.
Two fingers did not fully close.
We met in a conference room at Daniel's attorney's office.
I went with Dad because he asked.
Mom stayed with Ellie.
Daniel sat across from us.
No cameras.
No dramatic confrontation.
"Did you know?" he asked.
Dad answered immediately.
"No."
Daniel watched him.
"Did you fix the truck?"
"I paid for it."
"Cash."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Dad looked ashamed.
"Insurance rates. Pride. I didn't want a claim over what I thought was a deer."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"You didn't hit me."
Dad's eyes filled.
Daniel continued.
"But you made it easier for the person who did to hide damage."
"Yes."
Dad did not argue.
Daniel looked surprised.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
For a moment, neither man spoke.
Then Dad said, "My daughter saw you in the road."
Daniel looked down.
"I know."
"She thought you died."
"I know."
"I'm sorry she had to carry that."
Daniel nodded.
He did not absolve Dad.
Did not blame him for Ryan's violence either.
Specificity again.
Before we left, Daniel said he did not want Ellie visiting him until her therapist thought it was good for her.
"She doesn't owe me an apology."
Dad's mouth tightened.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me for not blaming a child."
Fair.
At home, Mom had taken every labeled ice pack out of the freezer.
She placed them in a cardboard box for police documentation and then left the freezer shelf empty.
Ellie noticed.
"Where are they?"
"With Detective Holt."
"All of them?"
"Yes."
Ellie opened the freezer wider.
"What if I get hurt?"
Mom froze.
Then she understood.
Ice itself had become suspicious.
"We can buy new ones," Mom said.
Ellie shook her head.
"Not blue."
"Okay."
"And no writing."
"Okay."
"And I pick where they go."
Mom nodded.
"Okay."
That night Dad bought two plain green gel packs.
He left them unopened on the counter.
Ellie looked at them for a long time.
Then put one in the freezer herself.
The other stayed in the box.
Small choice.
Huge.
Then Ryan's attorney filed a new motion.
Ryan was now admitting he had struck Ellie.
But he claimed he had done it only after the crash because he was terrified she would destroy the family.
Mom read the sentence twice.
Ellie heard about it later in careful language.
She looked at me.
"That's not true."
"Which part?"
"Sometimes he hit me because he was mad his video game lost."
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