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“I’ll see you out,” Daphne said politely.
“Don’t be silly. I know the way,” Evie said.
The other woman ushered the boy out.
Once we were alone, Daphne whipped her hands to her hips. “You were pretty rude to my guests, Brad.”
I had been, but I wasn’t in the mood to offer apologies I wasn’t feeling. Wendy was up to something, and I didn’t for a minute believe that five million dollars would appease her.
“I need to discuss something with you,” I said to Daphne. I eyed Talon and Ryan in the yard. “Where’s Joe?”
“Off somewhere with Bryce. I think they took horses out to the north quadrant.”
I gestured toward the boys. “I can’t have them interrupting us.”
“Are you kidding? They’re fine. They’ve been outside playing all day.”
“Good. Come with me, please.”
“Brad, what is—”
“Just come. Please.” I couldn’t bear the idea of discussing any of this with my wife. My sweet wife, who I’d tried so hard to protect. How could I tell her I was sending her and the boys away?
She parted her lips and looked up at me with those brown doe eyes. “All right, Brad.”
I led her to my office in the ranch house.
“Sit.” I gestured to one of the chairs, and I took a seat behind my desk.
“No,” she said. “Please. Sit over here with me. Not behind your desk. I feel so…far away from you that way. Don’t make me feel that way, Brad. Please.”
I softened. I couldn’t deny her, though I’d have to. Especially when I told her that her trip to Disneyland was off. She’d beg me to reconsider, and I would not. I could not.
I could at least give her this.
I stood to grant her request when the phone rang.
“Ignore it,” Daphne said. “Something’s bothering you, and I want to know what.”
How I wanted to ignore the phone. I wanted to ignore everything except my wife and children. I wanted that life—that life most men had and probably took for granted. The life where you lived with your wife and children, did your work, and provided for them.
And that was it. You had no other worries.
That ultimate life I’d always thought I’d have. The life I’d promised Daphne when I asked her to be my wife.
How naïve I’d been.
“I’m sorry. I have to see who it is.” I took the phone off the receiver. “Brad Steel.”
“Brad, it’s Jonathan.”
“Hello, Jonathan”—Daphne’s eyes widened at her father’s name—“what can I do for you?”
“It’s Larry,” my father-in-law said. “He’s in trouble.”
Jonathan had no idea. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I need your help, Brad. I need you to help me help my son.”
“I have my own family to take care of,” I said.
“I know that. I appreciate that.”
“Then you know my hands are full.”
“Larry’s your friend,” he said.
“Larry and I haven’t been friends for a long time. He went his way, and I went mine.”
“Please. For Daphne’s sake. He’s her brother.”
“She doesn’t even know him.”
“I know. I know. Believe me, I know.” His voice got progressively softer and slower. “I made some bad decisions.”
“What bad decisions?”
He cleared his throat. “None of it matters now. I love both of my children, Brad.”
“I know that.”
“I need to get my son some help, and I don’t know where to turn.”
“Jonathan, I can’t—”
“Please, Brad. I know you have the resources.”
“You’re going to have to give me some more information, then. I can’t just open up my coffers on nothing specific.”
“He’s gotten in with a bad crowd.”
“He’s thirty-five years old. You sound like he’s gotten in with the bad crowd in high school.”
“That’s kind of what I mean. I know he’s an adult, but he’s kind of a sheep. He always has been, and he should be thinking about Greta and the kids.”
“At some point, he has to take responsibility for his own decisions.”
“He’s…had some mental health issues in the past.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Daphne knows about it.”
“She does?” I raised my eyebrows at my wife, who was still sitting patiently.
“Well…she knows he had a few issues. She doesn’t know the details.”
“You want to give me the details, then?”
“Larry is very suggestible. He doesn’t have a good sense of self.”
“The man got through law school and appears to be happily married. I’d say his sense of self is fine.”
“It’s not. He hides it well on his face, but he’s a follower, Brad. And he’s following some bad people.”
“Are Theo Mathias and Tom Simpson by any chance involved in this?”
“I believe so.”
I cleared my throat. “So you know about their business.”
“Brad, I know a lot more than I’ve ever told you.”
“I see.” A black shadow cloaked me, as if a dark phantom was digging in its claws.
Jonathan Wade isn’t who you think he is, son. Be careful.
My father’s ominous words.
I had a really bad feeling.
“Sounds like you and I need to meet.”
“I’m ready for that anytime. Lucy and I are at a hotel in Grand Junction.”
