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“That escalated quickly,” Lucy said when they were back in the car. “Ed Farrow seems to have anger issues. He was quite defensive.”
“That’s an understatement,” Zack agreed, driving out of the parking lot. “That guy should never play poker. He had guilt written all over his face. He’s not fooling anyone.”
“What’s the next step?” Lucy asked. “Where do we go from here?”
“We go talk to Ethan again,” Zack replied. “No matter what he says, he and Sarah were definitely dating in high school, and he knew her well. I don’t want to wait for the investigator that Cooper and Frankie are going to hire and give Ethan a chance to think up a better story. He knew what was going on in her life, and he’s trying to hide it for some reason.”
“I’m guessing because he was involved in it.”
“Probably, although he was pretty wild back in high school, and he wasn’t ashamed of it in the least.”
It didn’t take long to get to Ethan’s house. It was in one of the nicer middle-class neighborhoods in Winslow Heights, just a few blocks from the high school. Zack had just pulled in front of the rambling ranch-style home when his cell phone rang. Checking the screen, he had a strong urge not to answer the call.
It was Joel Winslow.
“It’s my dad.”
“Are you going to answer it?”
No. Absolutely not. Fuck it. What did the asshole have to say for himself today?
“What’s up, Dad?”
“What in the hell are you doing?” Joel growled, not bothering with a greeting or social niceties. “Why are you bothering my friends? Ed Farrow is a good man and friend. I don’t know what you’re accusing him of, but I can assure you that he’s a man of great character.”
Zack checked his watch. Five minutes. That was it.
It had taken less than five minutes for Ed Farrow to call Joel to whine and complain about Zack’s visit. That had to be some sort of record.
“It’s interesting that you use the word accuse, Dad, because I didn’t accuse Farrow of anything. I just wanted to ask him a few questions about the bar that he used to own and manage. He’s the one that jumped to the conclusion that he was being accused. Maybe he has a guilty conscience about something.”
Zack had learned early on in his life that poking the bear wasn’t a good idea. Now that he was a grown ass man, he didn’t give a flying rat’s ass about upsetting his father. He’d poke away and damn the consequences. As far as he was concerned, his father wasn’t challenged nearly enough. He’d surrounded himself with people who only said yes.
“I don’t like your tone, Zackary. Ed Farrow is my friend, and as such I expect you to treat him with respect.”
Fuck that. My tone? What am I? Twelve?
“I respect people who have earned it. I don’t respect people just because you play golf with them or smoke cigars at the club with them. I asked Farrow a question and he immediately flew off the handle. Then he called you to get your son in line, like I was a kid or something. That isn’t going to fly with me. Now did you want to talk about anything else? Otherwise, I’m hanging up.”
Zack didn’t wait for his father’s reply, simply ending the call and tucking his phone back into his pocket. If his father called back - and he doubted that would happen - he wasn’t planning to accept it.
“I only heard half of that, but it didn’t sound happy.”
“Farrow tattled on me to Dad. Dad called me to tell me off. Just the usual shit with my father. I’m sorry you had to hear any of it, though. My family must seem like a nightmare compared to your own.”
“Mom can be a little gossipy, but most of the time they’re both terrific. I know that it’s not always that way with everyone, though. Your siblings are great.”
“They are,” Zack agreed. “It’s been nice to spend some time with them. Are you ready to talk to Ethan again? I hope he’s here.”
There was a vehicle in the driveway, but Zack didn’t know if it was Ethan’s.
“Should I stay in the car? He might talk to you more easily if I’m not there.”
“He doesn’t want to talk to me, period. I doubt your presence is going to sway him either way.”
They walked up to the front of the house, and Zack intended to ring the doorbell, but Lucy pointed to the fence.
“The gate is open,” she said. “And I hear music, too. Maybe he’s in the backyard.”
