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But now that he’d considered it, he couldn’t stop thinking it.
A hand rapped at the back door, and Uncle Jay stuck his head in. “Am I late for dinner?”
“There’s plenty left,” said Hunter’s mom.
Jay opened the door fully, and Casper burst into the room, jogging immediately to Hunter, who rubbed the scruff of his neck and slid him chicken from his plate.
“That dog loves you,” said Jay.
Hunter gave Casper another piece. “I love him back.”
Casper sat by his side and put his head in Hunter’s lap.
Jay pulled out a chair and dropped into it. He glanced at his brother. “Did you get more info?”
Hunter’s dad cast a glance at him. “Yeah. We’ll talk upstairs. Later.”
Hunter pretended he didn’t notice. But after dinner was done, he lingered in the kitchen, washing dishes, playing with Casper, giving his dad and uncle time to finish shooting the shit and get down to real business.
Then he crept up the stairs, easing around the step that creaked, holding his breath as he edged as close as he could to his father’s office door.
Their voices were low, and he could only make out a few words, none of which made too much sense.
He eased out a breath, then took another one in. He slid a bit closer.
“Hunter.”
Damn it.
His father’s voice. Hunter didn’t move. Maybe this was a bluff.
Then the door opened. Uncle Jay stood there. “Really, kid?”
Hunter sighed and looked up at him from where he crouched on the floor. “I don’t get what the big deal is. You said it was just surveillance.”
“Come in here,” his father called. He didn’t sound happy.
Hunter shoved to his feet and went to the doorway.
His father was sitting at his desk, two files on the surface in front of him. Both were closed.
“First,” he said, “I’m not happy about the spying.”
“But you never tell me anything! I’m sixteen years old, and—”
“And you’re acting like a teenager. Not yet, Hunter.”
“I can handle it.”
“Like you handled those boys at school?”
Hunter flinched. “I don’t know what that means. What do you want me to do, break their necks? Get expelled? They’re just playing stupid pranks. I can’t exactly kill them for that.”
“What if I told you they would grow up to be criminals? What about then?”
“What about then?” Hunter glanced at Uncle Jay, but there were no answers there. His uncle was leaning against the doorjamb, his arms folded.
His father leaned forward in the desk chair, bracing his arms on his knees. “If I told you they would grow up to be criminals, that they could potentially hurt people, could you kill them then?”
