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“Hannah.”
She looked at him. “What? I need to take a shower, Dad.”
“I’m not stupid. Did you go back to the hospital?”
“I’m an adult. It’s none of your business. ”
His voice remained level. “I’m not trying to police your behavior. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“Yeah, okay. Is this more of your procedures nonsense?” She pulled a jersey T-shirt and cutoff sweats from the bottom of the drawer and went to move past him. I’m not trying to police your behavior. That was rich.
“What are you talking about?”
Hannah glared at him. “How could you report Michael to social services? How could you do that?”
He looked incredulous. “How could I not, Hannah? His brothers are minors. You want me to leave them out on the street? You think that’s better?”
“No, I expect you to show a little compassion. He’s not some stranger. He’s not some deadbeat dad who left a toddler home alone. He just lost his home, and you took his family away.”
Her father’s face didn’t change. “Every time you talk like this, I wonder when you’re going to grow up.”
“If that’s what growing up means, I hope I never do. Does Mom have any idea of what you did?”
“Your mom has nothing to do with this.”
“Sure. Because she would have done the right thing. She would have made them meals, or heck, she would have invited them to stay here. She would have treated them with kindness, instead of acting like Michael is some felon.”
“This is an active investigation, Hannah. People are dead. The FBI is involved. Do you understand that? Do you have any idea what a conflict of interest that would be?”
“Yeah, I do. And somehow I still manage to treat people with common decency. You think you’re so smart that you figured out I was at the hospital all night? Clearly you weren’t concerned enough to head over there and find out for sure. You took his family away and you didn’t even wait to see if he was okay. He was alone, Dad.”
o;Damn it, Hunter, of course I have an idea! I was there! And you all could have been killed!”
“Easy,” said Adam. He glanced at the door.
Michael sighed and dropped his voice. “It was too dangerous .”
“Fuck dangerous,” said Hunter. “We’ve been through worse. With you. You know that. We could have helped.”
Michael glared back at him. “I’m not apologizing for this. I’m not putting all of you in danger.”
“Too late! You don’t even know where your brothers are, and they have no idea someone could be after them! You didn’t even warn them!”
“I know that! You don’t think I know that?”
“Hey.” Adam got between them, his hands up. “Fighting isn’t going to solve anything.”
Michael didn’t realize he’d swung his legs onto the floor, or that Hunter was on his feet, ready to get into it.
He knew better than this. Michael sat back. “You’re a kid, Hunter. Like it or not, you are. All of you are. I’m not putting you in harm’s way if I can help it.”
“I’m not helpless,” said Hunter, his voice full of acid. “Your brothers aren’t either.”
“I know you’re not—”
“And you’re obviously not doing the greatest job keeping everyone safe, are you?”
Michael flinched.
