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John put up his hand like a traffic cop. “You keep the thumb drive. I don’t want anything to do with it.”
“I copied everything I could. If there are financial files, they could be hidden, too. I could call Andre—”
“No, I don’t think you should. I say we end this now. To be real, I’m afraid.” John grimaced. “This is the time to get out. Lemaire’s dead and everybody thinks it’s suicide, so that’s going away. The acquisition’s on track. Stan will shut up. We need to forget the whole thing.”
“We can’t—”
“Why not? They took Connor’sbaseball, TJ. That makes it personal. Thank God I sent him out of town.” John shook his head. “This stops now.”
“But we can’t just let it go,” I said, feeling it inside. “A man’s dead and I just got the name of the guy who probably killed him. I can’t pretend that didn’t happen.”
“Ican. If we keep digging, we pay the price. And for what?”
“Justice. You’re supposed to care. You’re a lawyer.”
John frowned. “When my family’s in jeopardy, I’m a dad. You’d understand if you were, too.”
Ouch. “I understand, John. I love Connor, too.”
“If we shut up, my family stays safe. The only guy who gets hurt ifwe’re quiet is already dead. Anyway what are you going to do, TJ? You’re going to run it down like a cop?”
“No, like an investigator.”
“You’re not a real investigator.”
“I am now,” I said, feeling it for the first time.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then we should tell the cops,” I said, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.
“No, never. That’s why I didn’t say anything to them just now.”
“We’re obstructing justice, John.”
“Not if they don’t find out.”
I almost laughed. “I thought I was the only criminal in the family.”
“TJ, come on. If we tell the cops, we don’t drop out. It’s not like you make a statement and it’s one-and-done. We get questioned multiple times. We go back and forth. We’re already being followed. It’ll be obvious we’re cooperating. We have to testify. You’ll put a target on our backs.”
My heart sank. “What if we go into witness protection or something like that?”
“Enough. I’m not going to the cops, and you’re not, either.” John pointed in my face. “If you do, I’ll deny everything. I’ll say you’re lying.”
“Are you serious?” I asked, shocked. Then I realized I shouldn’t be, since he’d betrayed me before. At this point, betraying me was his hobby. I felt angry and didn’t try to stuff it. “You came to me, remember? I wouldn’t beinthis but for you—none of us would!”
John blinked, softening. “TJ, I have to protect my family.”
“I’m your family, too, asshole.”
“Look, let’s start over.” John took my arm. “I know you loveConnor and Nancy. Let’s play it safe, for their sakes. Drop the investigation. Go back to your regular work.”
Suddenly the door opened and Gabby came in, fixing a worried gaze on me.
“TJ, are you okay? I told Dad that he was inappropriate to talk to you that way in front of the cops. He’s just stressed about the break-in.”
“Right. Usually he’s a barrel of laughs.”
