Brady never told his parents that he had the money. When they got the call from Adam's parents, Brady said he didn't know what three dollars they were talking about. The two of them were just playing. Adam never left the room, and Brady never pocketed anything. He never felt a strange warmth in the bottom of his stomach, the sheer relief of the back of his mother's van, the glory of his closet hiding spot. Brady had outsmarted them all. But he would never tell them that.
The story was clear though. Adam knew that his three dollars were in the room, near the Legos they had been playing with. He knew it was there before Brady arrived, and he knew it was there when he went to the bathroom. What he also knew was that, when he returned, it was gone. But Brady would ask his parents why, then, if Adam noticed right away, he didn't speak up. Why Adam waited for them to come pick him up. It all sounded a bit fishy to him, and his parents were shocked to hear him speak this way.
In the end, there was nothing Brady's parents could do prove he had taken the three dollars, nothing they could do to make him confess. As far as they were concerned, Adam misplaced the money, and they didn't appreciate the accusation. It's nice, Brady thought, knowing what will happen before any of it happens.
Brady would continue going to Adam's house, and they would continue playing. Adam would be careful never to leave any money out, not even a dirty penny. Not that Brady had any intention of repeating his crime. He had done it once, and once was enough. Once was enough to know that, yes, if he wanted, he could do it again.
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