Page 81 of Instinct & New Identity

“I can’t believe they had a dirty cop giving them intel like that.Justmakes me sick,”Tammygroaned.

“A copI’veknown and worked with for years and went to school with my son,” my dad said from the side of the bar.

“What are you doing here?”Iasked.

“Was planning to drop by your place, butWadetold me you were here,” he responded, andIrolled my eyes thatWadetold him my location.

Just asIlooked up to tell my dad he didn’t need to check in on me and that he could go home,InoticedArcherwalking toward the bar as well.

I turned and growled atWade. “Really, asshole?”

That must have been who he’d texted earlier.Whywould he bring them here?Ijust wanted to drink alone, in peace.

“Tammy, would you grab two more forFrankandArcherand fill ours up as well?”Waderequested.

“Coming right up,” she replied.

“What did you do?”Archerasked.

“What?”Iresponded, not sure what he meant.

“Wade said you looked like someone killed your best friend,” he added. “Butyou aren’t angry, which means nobody died, but you clearly did something else wrong,” he interpreted.

“I’m betting he did something stupid,” my dad added.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, assholes.”Irolled my eyes.

I didn’t want to talk about this.ButIknewArcher.Mycousin was stubborn, which meant he wouldn’t drop this until he got his answer.

I took a large swig of my new drinkTammyjust dropped off and then laid it out. “Fromthe momentIbroughtCathere toGeorgia, she’s been a target.Notbecause of her connection to her parents’ murders, like we originally thought, but because of me.”

I thought back to how we had assumed the threats had been connected to either the robbery or her creepy neighbor.Nope, it was because of me.

“That flawed logic will only mess with your head,” my dad commented.

“How is it flawed, whenCatis sitting upstairs with a concussion after she was nearly killed?”Ibarked back at him. “Andwhat aboutRuthie?Shewas shot in the foot because she got in the way of them trying to takeCat.That’stwo people who were nearly killed because of me.”

“No, that’s two people who were nearly killed because of a drug kingpin and his dealer,” my dad responded. “Youcan’t put that on yourself.”

“Even if you were right,”Icountered, “it could happen again.It’snot safe for her to be with me.I’mnot sayingIwantto lose her, butIcouldn’t live with myself if something happened to her because of my job.”

“Do you remember when your mom fell down the stairs carrying the laundry and ended up with a few broken bones when you were in elementary school?” my dad calmly asked.

“Yeah.”Idid.Shealso had a bruised face from hitting the railing on the way down.

“She didn’t fall down the stairs,” he said, which caused me to turn and look at him. “Mycar was in the shop that day, so she picked me up from court afterIwas done testifying about one of the skipsIbrought in.Theman’s brother shot at me as we were walking to the car.Hewas a piss-poor shot, so he missed me, but got your mom in the arm.Shefell awkwardly and hit her head and broke her arm as she hit the ground.”

Anger rose up in me at the thought of someone shooting at my mom, and also shock that my parents had kept this a secret for so long.Aquick look toArcherrevealed he had the same look on his face.Hehad come to visit that summer.Mymom’s bruises were gone by then, but she still had the cast, which she had let us all decorate.Iknew he remembered.

Tammy, likely having heard most of this story, slid another drink in front of me.

“Son, there are plenty of dangerous careers in this world, ones where crazy people can target your family,”Dadpointed out. “Military, law enforcement, politicians, celebrities.Mostof those people don’t let it stop them.Yourmindset right now?Iwas right there with you when your mom was shot.Ithought about leaving for her safety but didn’t want to leave her a single parent.NordidIwant to leave you kids either.Shereamed my ass for even considering leaving.”

I smiled, picturing my mom yelling at him for that.Shewould definitely do that.

“You making that decision for her is taking away her choice,” my dad added.

“Which she did to you when we thought it was related to theCrossStreetKings,”Wadespoke up. “Whenshe thought they were responsible for the chocolates, she wanted to go back with theFedsso thatyoudidn’t get hurt in the process.Rememberthat?”

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