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My dad drags in a breath and leans back. “That makes it harder, but she filed a report last night?”

“All the girls did.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” He puts his hand on the file, and his gaze falls on it.

For a moment, I think he’s done, but I need to know so I can let Miller know. “Did you get them released?”

“Yes. Their parents picked them up this morning and were truly grateful. I talked to them, and both had misgivings about Zach Gray.” Dad lifts his gaze to mine.

I tap my finger absentmindedly on my stomach while I wait.

“Harper Davidson.” He says her name and I tense a little, wondering what he’s going to ask. But he doesn’t say more.

I arch an eyebrow and wait. I’ve got time.

Dad stands and walks around the desk to lean against it in front of me. He crosses his arms like he can make me feel like a little boy again. But if he’s hoping to crack me open, it won’t work.

“I’m going to be straight with you,” he says.

“Please do.” How far will he go? From his discussion with William, he knows more than I’ve told him or Mom. What will he tell me and what will he hold back?

“Here’s what I know. You tell me if I have anything wrong,” Dad says. “You, Luke Foster, Caden Ross, Jack Hill, and Nico Lee are all in a relationship with Harper Davidson.”

I don’t say anything but maintain eye contact. He told me to tell him if he’s wrong.

“Okay, Harper Davidson’s father went missing thirteen years ago and hasn’t been heard from by Harper or her mother?” He pauses, waiting for my response, but I don’t say anything again. “William Foster seems way too interested in your relationship and wants to find something that Sean may or may not have taken from him.”

I lift my fingers in acknowledgement, but nothing he’s said is wrong. I hold his gaze.

Dad heaves a breath before he moves to the chair beside me. “William told me there was an accident with Sean, but I don’t know what that means.”

My father isn’t all the way out from under William’s heel. He still represents him as his lawyer. It makes me wonder if it’s loyalty, obligation, or self-preservation that made him stay with William after cutting off business ties.

Right now, this is my dad talking to me, not my lawyer. How much can I trust him with? He told William he wouldn’t help, but what if William changed my father’s mind?

“I always assumed Sean left.” My dad gets this far-off look. “He was never part of our group in high school, but he was a good guy.” His gaze focuses on me. “I’ve been checking to see if I can find out anything about where he might be now. If he is...”

Dad leaves that hanging out there. What does my father think happened? That Sean is dead? That he ran off with a huge payoff from William? It doesn’t matter. I can’t trust my dad. Not with Harper.

“What do you want from me?” That’s what I need to know.

“Has Harper mentioned it? Does she have any idea what happened to him?” Dad looks down at his hands. “I should have asked more questions when he left. It made some sense. William wasn’t a great man. Not easy to work for. I never understood why Sean left Jenn and Harper though.”

“Harper hasn’t heard from her father. She knew next to nothing about him.”

My dad seems genuine in his concern, but how can I be certain? He looks at the floor pensively. Like something is confounding him.

“You still haven’t told me what you want from me.” I wait.

My dad looks up at me with surprise. “What?”

I smirk and give him a knowing look. “Do you want me to look for something that my girl might have access to? Or maybe ask her mom about her husband who left her? I mean, how intrusive do you want me to be?”

My words take my dad aback. His brows pinch together. “Why would you think that, Eli?”

“You come at me with all this concern over a man that’s been missing for thirteen years who happens to be my girlfriend’s father.” I shrug like it doesn’t bother me. “It just seems odd. Don’t you think?”

“I don’t know what you think is happening here.” He stands and takes a step toward me but stops. We’re not close. Haven’t been for years. He used to spend time with me. Helped me get better at football. Helped with my homework. But these past few years, it’s all been about the problems between him and my mother.