Officer Discreetly Follows Lost Boy, Then Breaks Down When He Discovers the Truth

Leo pressed deeper into the older part of town, toward streets lined with discount stores, church basements, and loading docks. He checked a bulletin board outside a mission hall, peered through the gate of a locked repair yard, and stood for nearly a full minute outside a cramped pharmacy, as if debating whether to go in. Sean stayed well back—close enough to intervene if traffic or strangers became a problem, but far enough not to trigger another sprint. He had dealt with frightened kids before. The quickest way to lose one was to make them feel cornered.