For Ari’s sake, I hoped he didn’t have the chance, but there was no telling what the cartel could accomplish in thatshorttime.
With her lost down the rabbit hole of cyberspace, I thought back to when everything happened with my brother Robin.He was killed in the line of duty, and when the department said he was dirty, my father retired from the force rather than fight to find out what reallyhappened.
Then I went digging, even though they wanted me gone.That’s when I found out, just over a year ago, that my father had let Robin take the fall forhisactions.
Or so I’d thought.Could Robin have beendirtytoo?
It seemed like a twisted and knotted mess that was impossible to untangle.What was the truth?Why did they do it?With both Robin and Dad gone, I couldn’taskthem.
When I pushed off the bed, Ari glanced up.“What are youdoing?”
“Going to call my mom on the secure line in the panic room.See how she’sdoing.”
She smiled.“Tell her Isaidhi.”
I smiled back, but it didn’t remove the rock from the pit of my stomach.What doesMomknow?
I left the bedroom and headed for the closet where the panic room door remained open.I picked up the landline and dialed my mom’s cell number, kicking myself for not thinking ahead and giving her a burnerphone.
She answered on thethirdring.
“Hey,Ma.”
“While I live and breathe, it’s my soncalling.”
“How’s Vailtreatingyou?”
“Oh, you know, just staring at the mountains and contemplating the meaning of life while I drink coffee and wish I had someanswers.”
I huffed out a forced chuckle.“Sounds a little like what I’mdoing.”
“Any news?What should I do with thehouse?”
“I’ve already got a line on a cleanup crew to remove the rubble soon.There wasn’t much that could besalvaged.”
“I figured as much.”Her tone was quiet andresigned.
“I know, but at least insurance is taking care of that part of things so you don’t have to worry aboutthecost.”
“That’s a relief at least.”She paused.“How are you doing, Rhett?I know being back there can’t be easyafter...”
Some things moms just know.“It’s not bad.I’m ...dealing withthings.”
“You know, when you left, part of me was happy that you were getting out.Breaking the mold.I didn’t want to take the chance that I’d loseanotherson.”
It surprised me to hear her say it, especially when I didn’t just leave, I cut my family out of my life for asolidyear.
“I’m sorry, Mom.I shouldn’t have turned my back on you and Dad.Icouldn’t—”
“You don’t have to say it.I understand.Your father had to know that by going down that path, it would cost him, even if he didn’t see it when hestarted.”
My mother’s words made me wonder again if she knew more than what she was saying.“What happened?Do you know?Did hetellyou?”
Her end of the line went quiet for several moments.“I don’t know much.He shielded me, or at least he tried.But there were things that didn’t make sense.Money that would magically show up and I was expected not to ask questions, so I didn’t.Rhett, as much as I wish you could uncover evidence showing this was all a setup, I think the further you dig into this, the more you’re going to find thatisn’ttrue.”
I attempted to swallow over the lump in my throat.My father’s image had already been tarnished by the evidence, but hearing it come from my mother was a sucker punch to the gut.“Whatmoney?”
“I know I should’ve told you, but ...we were having some hard conversations.How he was going to be able to afford to retire with the pensions getting sliced to practically nothing.Then a downturn in the market took out half our retirement savings.We weren’t smart, Rhett.We didn’t plan right.Your father was angry, furious that he’d worked for years for promises that kept changing.I worried that he would do something rash, but I didn’t ask questions.I didn’t want to know.That was my fault.I should’ve gotten ajob,or—”