“Not a good guy? What does that mean?”
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on between your mother and this kid, but the reason this all came to light was because I saw a bruise on her back.”
“A bruise?” He sounded horrified. “Like…like he hurt her?”
I didn’t answer straight away. “She never confirmed it, but I suspected. That was when she admitted she was having the affair. She took you kids away because he was planning to meet her in Florida, but then he changed his mind—I think he was mad that you guys were with her—which is why you left in such a hurry, I’m assuming. She came home and sent you kids away so she could smooth things over with him. She must’ve blocked your number in my phone, or mine in yours, something. It’s why I couldn’t reach you. I tried to call you every day, son. I’ve…been worried sick.”
“What the hell?” he asked under his breath. I didn’t chastise him for cursing like Ainsley would’ve. This was life under Dad’s rule. “Why would she do that? Why wouldn’t she want us to talk to you?”
“I wish I had an answer. Maybe she was afraid I’d tell you the truth. I’ve tried so hard to keep you kids out of it. But…when I saw her yesterday, she had these…these cuts all over her face. Bruises. Like she’d been thrown into a wall. Or a floor.”
“But then…you have to do something. You have to help her.”
“I would if I could, but she won’t let me around. She’s staying at your grandmother’s. Matt’s there. For all I know, he’s hurting them both. I…I’m at a loss, son.”
“So call the police. Have them save her. She can’t want this.” He was on the verge of crying then, though neither of us acknowledged it.
I nodded slowly. “It’s hard, sometimes, realizing your parents are…we’re just human, bud. We make mistakes all the time. Bad decisions. Your mom made a really bad decision, and now, I’m not sure there’s any saving her.”
“You have to try!” he shouted, angry now.
Yes. Use that anger. Channel it.
“Well, there is one way, but…it’s… No, it’s too much. We can’t. I’m sure she’ll be fine. She’ll come to her senses. Your mom is smart.”
“What? Tell me. What’s the way?”
“There are some people in this world who don’t deserve to live, Dylan. Murderers. Terrorists. People who hurt women and children.”
“What are you saying?”
“Matt is going to keep hurting her unless we do something to stop it.”
“What? Like…hurt him?” He waited. When I didn’t respond right away, he added, “Or…or kill him? You can’t mean that. It… That’s insane.”
“I know. I said it’s too much. It’s ridiculous. I’m just so worried about her, you know? That’s why I have her phone. She brought it to me yesterday, so I have no way to contact her anymore. I guess he doesn’t want her to have one. It’s… It’s all just happened so fast, and the police won’t do anything because she says she’s fine. I don’t know what else to do.”
“Yeah, but, I mean, there has to be a way, right? We could fight him, maybe. You and me. Two against one. Or…we could get proof. Pictures of her. We could hire a private investigator—”
“There’s no more money,” I said, shaking my head. “He stole everything from us. I’m working hard to keep the lights on, but he made her drain the account. And, as for fighting, he’s bigger than us both. It’s not worth the risk. The only way I can think of is to surprise him. Take him out.” I swallowed. “It’s terrible. I wish there was any other way.”
“So, what are you going to do?” he asked after a moment.
“I have no idea. I can’t even get inside. Maybe I’ll try to break in at some point, but I don’t know how long we have. I’m sorry to put all of this on you, Dylan, but it’s like you said, you’re almost a man now. It’s time you started seeing the world for what it is. It’s time you know how dangerous and evil the world can be.”
He stared out the window, unusually quiet, and I wondered if I’d pushed him too hard. Finally, he looked back at me with a grim expression.
“I’ll do it. I can get inside.”
“No. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“It’s our only choice, Dad. You said it yourself. We have to protect her.”