Page 15 of Final Approach
“I know, I know. I’m just saying, hanging out with the likes of them is an invitation to trouble. I don’t want her going with them.”
“Like the rest of us, you don’t get a say in what she does and doesn’t do anymore. We’re all adults.” She searched for the words that would be firm but not harsh. “Dad, you and Mom worked hard for every penny you had. We never saw you guys have fun or do anything but work.”
“Because we didn’t have the money to do anything fun.”
She ignored his sharp tone. “I’m just saying, Emily, Ethan, and I have all worked hard to get where we are today. If we want to have a little fun, then don’t begrudge us that. We’ve earned it.”
“I don’t begrudge it,” he said. “But money is hard to come by. Spending it on elaborate vacations is risky. You might need that money someday. You never know when an emergency will come along.”
“Like Mom’s death?”
He closed his eyes. “Yeah. It just about broke me. Mentally, physically, financially. You know how hard it is to make ends meet as a single father of three kids?”
“I don’t, but I can imagine. And we made it. You have three amazing offspring. Why don’t you trust us to do what’s best for us?”
He rubbed his mouth. “It’s just hard.”
“I know. But here’s the thing. Emily’s a good person. She’s a journalist with a great job. I doubt her friends are the troublemakers you’ve said they are. I’m not saying they’re perfect, but honestly, if Emily wants to hang out with who you consider troublemakers, that’s her choice.” A part of Kristine was concerned about what her father found out in all of his snooping, but still ... she refused to interfere in her sister’s life like that. Emily would be livid.
“But—”
“No buts, Dad. Stop it. You have to stop this.” He’d always been controlling, but it was like he’d ramped up the efforts over the last few months.
Anger zipped across his face, and for a moment, a spark of fear flipped Kristine’s stomach. In her teen years, that look came before he’d yelled or thrown something. She steeled her spine. She was a federal agent and knew how to defend herself if it came to it. Then the expression faded, but he looked like he wanted to argue more. Instead, he finally said, “I have a long drive home and I want to go to the gym. I’ll talk to you later.”
She wouldn’t classify the hour drive to Asheville aslong, but whatever. “Sounds good. Be careful.” He worked out on a regular basis and was in excellent shape. She was glad he took care of himself physically. She just wished he would also pay such close attention to his mental health. But she wasn’t about to mention it. That would set him off again, and she didn’t have the bandwidth for the discussion-slash-argument that would ensue.
At the door, he stopped and looked back, his eyes unreadable. “I love you, Krissy-girl, and your siblings. More than any of you will ever know or understand. Everything I do is with you three in mind. I just want what’s best for you all.”
“I know, Dad. You just need to work on better ways of expressing that.”
“Right.” He hesitated, then left, and she locked the door behind him, resisting the urge to bang her head on it. But she didn’t need the literal headachethatwould bring, so she walked back into the den, kicked off her shoes, and picked up the remote. Had she really thought she might have to defend herself against her father?
Yes, she really had.
Shoving off that depressing thought, she got the opening credits rolling forThe Maltese Falcon, then pulled up the food delivery app on her phone. She ordered a burger, fries, and two pieces of cheesecake. It would arrive in about an hour. She didn’t even carethat she’d already had a slice earlier. Most of it would wind up in the fridge for later. But not all.
The memories rolled over her. Working in high school so she could pay for her graduation stuff, working to pay for her car and insurance and cell phone. Work and school had been her life because her father always claimed to be broke. And she supposed he was. Like he said, trying to support three kids on a cop’s salary ... well, yeah. He was probably broke.
She sighed.
Her dad told her he loved her all the time. The words didn’t mean much to her other than to make her question them. Did he really love her and her siblings, or did he simply use those words like he did everything else, as a way of trying to control them?
She just didn’t know and she was too weary of trying to figure it out.
With a sigh, she snagged her work laptop, pulled up the report she’d submitted, and went back over every detail. Had she gotten it all? Emotions had been high at the time. She could have forgotten something.
Two hours later, she set the computer and her leftovers aside. She hadn’t forgotten anything. Her phone buzzed with a text from her younger brother, Ethan.
Glad you’re okay. Good job staying alive. Talk soon.
Short, simple, and to the point. That was Ethan. She smiled. He’d graduated from law school last year and was knee-deep working for one of the largest firms in New York. His dream was to make a lot of money and stay as far away from their father as he possibly could.
Even Emily didn’t have much to do with the man.
Kristine didn’t know why she allowed her father in her life as much as she did. Other than guilt due to the fact that she was responsible for his widower status.
She swallowed hard at that thought. Her mother’s death nevershould have happened. At least not the way it did. If her father knew—
