Chief McKinley has made it clear.
They will not investigate the clear case of child neglect happening in Loch Nora until a complaint comes directly from Dick Harrington's five year old.
There is - as Chief McKinley puts it - no use in upsetting the apple cart because of a few bruises, right?
Maybe Hopper is a coward for not doing more. Maybe he's a new father and cannot afford to lose his job, and maybe there is an excuse big enough to justify failing this kid.
So Hopper tries to make himself available.
He listens to the kid ramble. He lets him interrupt his lunch. He pulls a card out of his pocket with his home phone number on it and gives it to the kid.
He says to call if he needs anything.
The universe twists a bad deed like a knife and plunges it in deep with, "Mr Hopper!"
"I got something for Sara," He says. "Can you give it to her?"
Steve digs into his pocket and pulls out a slightly bent piece of card stock paper. Steve's name, address, and phone number are written on the paper in big little kid writing.
"It's my business card," Steve explains. "You gave me your card and said I can call you if I need help so now Sara can call me if she needs help."
"She don't have to call me," Steve says, sounding shy. "It's just, um. She don't have a big brother and I don't have a little sister so I can be like her brother, and um..."
"I don't want her to be scared and stuff 'cause she needs help," He adds. "Can you give it to her?"
God, it hurts in his chest.
This kid that's always so goddamn alone is always looking out for Hopper's baby girl so, "Yeah, Steve. I'll give it to her."
"Can you show her how to use the phone too?" He asks. "She little. She might not know."
He takes a breath before asking, "You still got my card?"
"I have four of them, Mr Hopper."
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