Later, plates cleared, Mia climbed onto Daniel’s lap with an enormous slice of pumpkin pie and a dot of whipped cream on the end of her nose.

“Daddy,” she said between bites, very serious. “I know exactly what to do if a bad person tells me to wait somewhere scary.”

Daniel tucked a curl behind her ear. “What’s the plan, kiddo?”

“I move my feet,” she said. “I go find a police officer, or a mom with a stroller, or I call you.”

“That’s exactly right.”

“Even if the grown-up gets really, really mad at me for breaking the rule?”