Page 8 of Fierce-Matt

“No way. He has it coming to him.” Ben laughed even harder.

Jolene wiggled her shoulders and happily turned away from Ben and formulated her next move.

2

NORMAL HOUSEHOLD

“Hi, Mom,” Anya said, walking into her parents’ house on Friday morning, three days later. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good,” her mother said. “Your father had a rough night though.”

Her shoulders dropped, the air pushed out of her lungs fast enough her lips flapped. “What happened?”

“He forgot to take his pills even though I handed them to him yesterday morning. I should have stood there and watched him, but I didn’t. Last night he was getting combative.”

“Did he hit you? Yell at you?”

Oh lord. She hadn’t thought of this possibility.

“Just a lot of yelling.” Her mother’s eyes filled with tears. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying, but it’s still upsetting.”

Which meant her father was swearing and insulting.

The man who raised her didn’t exist anymore.

His body was present, his mind not so much. At least not consistently.

Elliot Emerson always had a temper, but it was usually directed toward her brother EJ. Never her or her mother.

Her father was often supportive and gentle with the women in his life, when he was around to be that way.

“How did you get him to calm down? You should have called me.”

“You don’t need to deal with this on top of everything else going on in your life. You said you had a few house showings last night. Tell me how they went.”

She walked to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. It was barely seven in the morning, but they were going to have a family call with EJ who lived in Australia. It was ten at night there, so this seemed to be the best way to get everyone at once while they were still awake.

“It went well. They were interested in the second house they saw and were going to let me know today if they wanted to put an offer in. I hope they do.”

It’d be months before the house closed, but looking forward to that commission would be a highlight she’d need in her life.

“Fingers crossed they will.”

“Where is Dad now?”

“He’s still sleeping and it’s for the best. He doesn’t need to be awake for this call.”

It didn’t take much to get her father worked up and just EJ’s name would do it.

“Have you heard anything from the police?” she asked.

“They are still gathering all the information. I believe a formal arrest is imminent,” her mother said.

“What are the chances of the money being returned to the business?”

“I’m not holding my breath. Even if we got it back, I don’t think we can keep the business going. I don’t want to burden you with this, but I think we have to sell. I can’t leave your father in charge, and I don’t want to take on the responsibility. If we don’t sell, I’ll have to file bankruptcy within six months.” Her mothermoved to get a tissue and blow her nose, then wipe her eyes. “I don’t want to do that.”

Anya let out a breath she’d been holding and pulled her mother forward for a hug. “You won’t lose the house, will you?”