Page 2 of Defensive Indifference

Katie pushes the passenger door open and climbs into the back seat while I dive into her vacated seat and slam the door. It’s a regular theatrical car escape, and I still don’t know why I’m running. Spencer squeals out of the lot, which probably makes that police officer plenty mad, but I can’t bring myself to care. He didn’t lift a finger to help me when reporters and other people practically suffocated me.

“What is going on?” I ask, winded. “This is insane.”

“Mom said the lawyer says it’s all true. Daddy made some shady deals and got caught.” Katie’s nose is red and her cheeks tearstained, but I’m not in the right frame of mind to comfort her at the moment. I need more information, some sort of direction to make this chaos make sense.

“That can’t be true. There must be more to the story.” My father? A crook and thief? We’re not the closest family unit in the world—not by a long shot—but the thought of my father laundering money is absurd.

“There’s supposedly a ton of proof.” Katie sniffles and covers her face.

“Even if it is, which I doubt, what does that have to do with us? Why did they tow my car? And why are there reporters shoving cameras in my face?” I look to my best friend, who only shrugs.

“Dude, this is on every news channel from here to the other side of the country. The man your father made deals with has been wanted in five countries for over two decades. He’s a legit mobster or something, and the feds are impounding everything your family owns.”

“I paid for everything I own with my own money!” I shout, making Katie flinch.

“Yeah, well, I guess they’ll figure that out eventually, but until then, you two are staying at my place outside of town.”

“What about Mom?” I glance in the back seat at Katie, who looks ready to be sick. Our mother, who lives in New York City with Dad, shouldn’t have to face this alone. It’s likely worse for her.

“She’s going upstate to stay with Aunt Doris. She wanted me to join her, but I didn’t want to leave you here in Savannah to deal with this alone.”

Scrubbing my hands over my face does not erase the horrible reality that my father has not only allegedly ruined his own life, but may very well have ruined mine and Katie’s too, if this is all true. I’m not convinced, but this is no small thing to ignore. My phone, still vibrating, earns my attention again. Missed calls from all the guys on the team, and some from Coach. I’m about to lose my contract, I know it.

I tap Coach’s number and wait for the butt chewing I’m sure I’m about to get, but it goes to voicemail. Instead of trying again, I call Andrew Rossi. If anyone knows what Coach is thinking, it’s our former pitcher-turned-assistant coach.

He answers with a relieved sigh. “Koa, what in heaven’s name is going on? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Spencer picked me up and we’re—”

“You’re lucky you haven’t been arrested! There’s footage of you attacking a reporter!”

“I did not attack him. He started it.” I growl and smack the passenger window. Reining myself in is the only way I can make heads or tails of this, so I take a deep breath and remember that a bad temper isn’t going to solve anything. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on, just enough to know it’s trouble. Is Coach mad?”

“He’s worried. Tell Spencer to bring you here to my place. We’ll talk when you get here, figure out what to do, and see how Coach wants to handle everything.” Andrew’s words say he wants to help, but his tone says he’s at a loss for what he might be able to do for me.

“Yeah, be there soon.” Ending the call feels like entering a time warp. Only last night I was at Andrew’s house having a fun cookout, and now I’m literally hiding from reporters and getting my stuff stolen because my father is a moron, apparently. Allegedly. I remind myself once more this doesn’t seem right. Despite not getting along well with him thanks to my decision to follow baseball and not take over the family business, my father has always been a kind, generous man with a moral code that didn’t seemingly include money laundering.

“Head to Andrew’s house first. We gotta figure out what’s going on and make a plan, then you’re going to New York to be with Mom.” I send a heated glare over the seat. Katie is a good kid—a woman now, but I can’t seem to remember that most of the time. I still see her as my baby sister, but that mouth? Yeah, that’s all grown up for sure, which is why she huffs and glares at me.

“I’m not going anywhere. You can’t make me, and besides, you’re not the only one with a job on the line. I can’t pack up and miss that much work. I’m sure things will die down in a few days.” Katie’s crossed arms shut her off from reality, which I’m afraid might be miserable for longer than a few days.

Spencer doesn’t argue but turns his car towards Andrew’s neighborhood. Hopefully, Lottie won’t freak out and throw us all out after she learns what’s happened. A tinge of regret hollows me out. I know she’s not like that. She’s sweet and caring and will probably stuff us full of food before sending us back to Spencer’s place.

“You okay?” Katie whispers.

Locking eyes with my sister, I shake my head. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out.”

“Maybe they’re wrong?” She winces, probably doubting reality as much as I am right now.

“Maybe. I hope so,” I admit. “It doesn’t seem like something he’d do.”

“You’ll get your car back,” she says, shuddering. “They took Preakness.”

“They took your horse?”

Katie nods and tears slip down her cheeks. “He’s scared. They weren’t kind to him, and I’m worried about what might happen to him.”

Spencer’s knuckles blanch and his jaw flexes. “We’ll get your horse back. I promise.”