Chapter 5: The Safe Haven**
Julian drove his modest sedan away from the estate, taking winding backroads to avoid the convoy of paparazzi and news helicopters beginning to circle overhead. In the passenger seat, Maya held a small plush rabbit Clara had sewn for her from scrap flannel.
They pulled up to a small, warmly lit diner on the outskirts of Oakhaven—*The Blue Spruce*. Inside, the television above the counter was blaring the local evening news.
The diner was nearly empty except for an older waitress named Martha, who was wiping down the laminate counters with a damp rag. When the bell above the door chimed and Julian walked in holding Maya’s hand, Martha stopped dead in her tracks.
She looked at the television screen, where Maya's cyan suit was frozen on the breaking news banner, and then looked at the little girl standing in front of her.
"Lord have mercy," Martha whispered, dropping her rag. "It's Clara's girl."
Maya gave a polite, tired nod. "Hello, Miss Martha."
Martha came around the counter immediately, kneeling down to eye level with Maya. Tears shimmered in the older woman's eyes. "We all saw it, honey. The whole neighborhood gathered at the community center to watch the stream. You spoke for all of us."
Julian sat Maya in a corner booth away from the large front windows. "We need a few hours of quiet before the morning press conferences begin. The Vance legal team will try to file emergency injunctions at dawn."
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"Nobody touches this child in my diner," Martha said fiercely, locking the front door and turning the sign to *Closed*. "I’ll make her some warm tomato soup and grilled cheese. You two sit tight."
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