Page 105 of Protected By West
Estes leaned in, a curious look on her face, "Your dad?"
Tracy hesitated for a moment and then she realized when she met his family on the weekend, she was likely going to get questions, she decided to tell Weston's sister and see how she reacted to it.
"My mom's family used to see her as a widow. My dad was never around. He was always working or covering someone else's shift as a lawman. It got to the point where we had an easier time counting the days he was home than when he wasn't around. They divorced when I was young and after I... I didn'tsee my dad. When I first met Weston, I had no idea that he was in law enforcement. I had to make a conscious decision to 'throw caution to the wind' when I found out."
Estes nodded, her expression was thoughtful to say the least. "Fagan's your last name, right?"
Tracy lifted her hand to touch her nametag that she wore at work. "That's me."
"So..." Estes looked like she was waffling back and forth for a moment before she said what was on her mind. "Is your dad Seamus Fagan?"
Tracy felt like she was in an airplane, her ears needing to pop so she would hear again.
It had been forever and a day since she'd heard her dad's name mentioned. "Uh, yeah. My dad's name is Seamus. How-"
Estes looked pale, like fall-down-in-a-moment pale.
"Are you-"
"Tracy?" Estes looked at the group that had gathered around them. "Your dad is Weston's boss."
Now her ears were ringing like alarm bells.
That was never a good sign in her experience.
"My dad..." Tracy drew in a breath, trying to keep herself on her feet and conscious. "Is Weston's boss."
Estes nodded and Tracy saw Becca on her cellphone typing away.
A moment later, she turned it around so she could see the screen.
"Chief Seamus Fagan of the Texas Rangers."
The picture was undoubtedly her father. He looked older than she remembered him, but he was definitely her father.
"Uh..." Tracy looked around and saw Jaime walking over. "Can you go with Becca to put her drawer away, I-" Tracy turned her head to look around the room and spotted the open door to the break room. "I need to grab a coke."
She didn't say anything else or look at anyone else as she walked into the break room. She just needed to sit down, and her office was too far. The last thing she wanted to do was stumble over her own feet if she had to walk that far.
As soon as she opened the refrigerator door, she remembered that she hadn't brought in more cokes to chill. Instead, she stood there and looked at the near empty area where she put her stuff and reached in for a can of cold water. "This will have to do."
She turned around, letting the weight of the refrigerator door swing itself closed.
"I'm not sure I should have come in here with you."
Tracy heard the hesitation in Estes' voice.
"But I figured I've already stuck all my toes in my mouth, I might as well stick in the whole damn foot."
Tracy held out the can of water and Estes took it with a grateful look.
If Estes was anything like herself, she was looking for something to fiddle with while they were talking.
Tracy opened the refrigerator door and pulled out another water, popping open the top before letting the cool sides of the can chill her palms. "I'm not mad, in case you were wondering."
Estes raised a brow as she looked back at her, and Tracy was struck with how much the siblings looked alike around their eyes and their coloring. "That's nice of you to say, but we both know that you had no idea about your dad."
Tracy nodded.
