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“This isn’t like I expected,” I say. “I figured you’d be behind glass and we’d be talking on one of those old fashioned telephones.”
“Not here, in the jail,” Dad says. “Once I’m arraigned, they’ll either let me out on bail, which is unlikely, or they’ll house me here or at the prison. The lawyers are working on it, but the McAllister lawyers are working just as hard against it.” He draws in a breath. “And so is your grandfather.”
I grab his hand. “Dad, I can’t thank you enough for saving Falcon. Truly. He’s the man I love.”
“He came to see me,” Dad says. “The night they beat him.”
I nod. “I figured as much.”
“I’m sorry for my hand in that. Please believe that I had no idea they would torture him like they did.”
I look into my father’s sunken eyes. He’s sad, regretful. I believe him.
“What happened?” I ask.
“I sent your grandfather a text to let him know Falcon was here. Next thing I know, one of our staff members was hitting Falcon over the head and dragging him out of my office. Your grandfather clearly had someone in our house on his payroll.”
“How did you know where they took him?”
“That old warehouse is where they do a lot of their dirty work,” he says. “I was told to stay put, and that was my intention, originally, but I couldn’t, Savannah. I couldn’t let them kill someone you loved.”
I love my father more in this moment than I ever have.
“I never wanted you with Miles McAllister,” he continues. “But I didn’t think there was any other way, Sav, and I’m sorry.”
“You let me go so many times.”
He looks into my eyes, his gaze soft. “You’re my weakness. You and your mother. But your grandpa got into a mess with the McAllisters. He always said he’d never get into their line of business, and like a fool, I believed him. He’s not a good man, Savannah.”
“Yeah. I know that now.”
“You tell your brother he needs to take care of your mother, okay? He’s the head of the household now.” Dad shakes his head. “God, I was so glad to see him, and then he got whisked away by your grandfather, and before I knew it, I was being arrested. My firstborn son comes home, and I go away.”
“It’s not fair, Daddy.”
He looks at the bland walls in the visitation room. “Maybe it is. I drove him away all those years ago.”
“That wasn’t you. Vinnie told me some stuff.”
“What?” His eyebrows are raised in question.
Does he truly not know?
I blink for a minute before I respond. “You’ll have to ask him. He’ll come see you.”
“I’m not so sure of that.” He sighs. “I’m not sure your grandfather will let him out of his sight.”
“He’s living at the house with Mom. I just had dinner with them last night.”
“We’ll see how long that lasts.” He pats my hand. “Sweetheart, you take care of yourself.”
“Thank you, Daddy. Thank you for everything.”
“I made a lot of mistakes raising you kids, but one thing never wavered. My love for all three of you.”
“I know, Daddy.”
He stands and indicates to the guard that our visit is over. “Go now. Go home to the one you love. Make a life far away from all this, Savannah. Do it. For me.”
