“I don’t understand.”
Stu set the plate down and wiped his hands on the back of his jeans. “I know you want answers, and I hope you can find them, but you need to make your peace with what happens if you do.”
“What do you mean? If Eric is involved, he’s going to pay.”
Stu studied his son’s face, a sad smile on the edge of his lips. “Yes, and then what? Let’s say there’s a trial, and you manage to find enough evidence to convict Eric. What happens then?”
“He goes to jail,” Ian said a little too loudly. He glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “He answers for the crimes he’s committed. That’s not nothing.”
“It’s not, but it’s not going to make you feel better, and I just want you to be prepared for that.”
Ian stared at his dad, an unfamiliar swell of emotion rising within him.
Why wasn’t his dad happier about the investigation?
“Life doesn’t always give the answers we want or the neat little explanations we crave,” Stu continued in a softer voice. “You have to be able to make your peace with things either way, and you can’t forget about the things that matter while you do.”
“I’m not ignoring my family,” Ian snapped, a little harsher than he intended. “I appreciate the advice, Dad, but I’ve got this.”
Stu nodded. “I know you do. Just remember you’ve got a life waiting for you when this is all done. You’ve got a wife and kids and a detective’s exam you wanted to take.”
Ian glanced away and frowned. “I know.”
“Dinner’s ready.” Lucy’s voice drifted over to them, bringing them back to the present with a jolt.
Ian cast one last glance in his father’s direction before he stepped out of the dining room. In the kitchen, he helped carry several trays of food out, avoiding everyone else in the meantime.
During dinner, he avoided his father’s gaze and pushed his food around. At the end of the night, when everyone went home, Ian ended up on the back porch, staring out into the night with a headache in the back of his skull.
Was he supposed to let his mom’s case go?
How far was he willing to go in order to find the answers?
Chapter Fourteen
“What do you mean I shouldn’t be working with someone else? You can’t be the only one I depend on.”
Jake snorted and linked his fingers over his head. “For a police officer, you’re not as careful as you should be.”
Ian raised an eyebrow. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Jake sat up and stretched his legs out in front of him. “It means you’re getting played. The PI’s son is probably working for Eric.”
“You don’t know that.”
Jake shrugged and lifted his gaze to Ian’s. “No, but it makes sense, doesn’t it? Think about it. If you were Eric, wouldn’t you want to stay one step ahead of everyone else?”
Ian paused. “Yeah, but then why would he contact me?”
“To find out what you know and throw you off Eric’s scent,” Jake replied without preamble. “Come on, don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. When was the last time you heard from Bryce?”
Ian opened his mouth to respond and slammed it shut.
Was Jake right?
It had been weeks of silence on Bryce’s end. Every phone call and every message went unanswered. The longer he stood there, entertaining Jake’s theory, the more sense it made. Not only was Bryce not doing himself any favors by not answering, but Ian had already checked for Bryce in the system.
Nothing came up on him.
