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“That’s probably part of it, but I tell you. It’s like I can feel a hidden camera on my skin.”
I expected him to tell me I was nuts.
Instead, he said, “I got the same feeling in my office today. Not so much that someone could hear me, but that someone could see me.
“Then I’m not crazy?”
“You probably are. We both probably are. Ruby looked the place over pretty closely.”
“Yeah, but all she said was she didn’t see any evidence of tampering. She couldn’t do a full sweep without the right tools.”
“True.”
“Those phone calls. They specifically said they’re watching us.”
“Shit. I didn’t even think about that. All this time we’ve been worried about people overhearing us.”
“On the other hand,” I said, “it could just be a mindfuck. Whoever’s been calling us is trying to spook us, trip us up.”
“Could be,” he agreed.
“Damn!” I paced across the redwood. “When is this shit going to end?”
“I don’t know, bro.” He shook his head. “I just don’t know. I hate burdening the whole family with our past. I hate it, especially with Melanie and Jade both being pregnant.”
“They all seem to want to help.”
“Of course they do. But how can we protect them if they’re helping?”
“I don’t know. They’d say they don’t need protection.”
“Whether they do or not isn’t the issue. I want to protect them.”
“I know. They’re not even my family, and I want to protect them too.”
Marjorie invaded my mind. I’d take a bullet for her, no thought required. Jump into the Grand Canyon if I thought it would keep her safe.
“I love her, you know.” The words came out almost by themselves.
“You’d better.”
“I tried to stay away because I felt so broken after…”
“You’re not broken, man.”
“You’re right. I’m not. I’m a little fucked up is all. It’s all so stupid. I’m not responsible for the sins of my father. Life doesn’t work that way. But you know what bothers me the most?”
“What?”
“The memories. I have some really good memories of the time the three of us spent together. Justin Valente aside, and he made us forget that for decades.”
“I know, man. I have the same memories. Your dad taught me a lot.”
“He taught both of us.”
Joe laughed. “My own father refused to teach me how to shoot. Said we were ranchers, and any man who held a gun to an animal—any animal, men included—was an animal himself. He never understood that I didn’t want to harm anyone. I just wanted to learn how to handle weapons. I taught Tal and Ryan. My father never knew.”
“Brad Steel didn’t shoot?” I shook my head. “How did I never know that?”
