Page 18 of Final Approach

“I know this is hard to think about, but looking back, did you have any idea anything was wrong? That something was going on with your dad?” She kept her tone soft, hoping her compassion would reach him.

The kid hesitated. “Yeah. I just wasn’t sure what it was.”

“Can you tell us more? What tipped you off?”

He shrugged. “Dad’s been acting weird. Not himself. He’s been sad. Angry. Snappy. Some nights I hear him pacing.” A tear leaked out and the teen swiped it away. “I don’t understand why he did what he did. That’s not him. He’s a great dad. We may be poor, but he loves us and—” He shook his head. “I don’t understand. Did you ask him why he did it?”

“We did,” Kristine said. “But we think your mother needs to be the one to explain.”

His jaw hardened, then he sighed. “Fine. When can I go see him?”

“We’ll have to work that out for you,” Nathan said. “We just need a little time to gather all the information we can.”

“Right.” Jacob shoved his hands in the front pockets of his well-worn jeans.

“Jacob,” Andrew said, “did your dad have any visitors over the last few weeks?”

“Here? At the house?” He shook his head, then snorted. “If he was going to meet someone to plan a hijacking, it wouldn’t be here. Too many ears.” He crossed his bony arms and rocked back on his heels. His mannerisms and his eyes were older than they should be.

Andrew ran a hand over his chin. “Of course. Good observation.”

“He’d go to Mike’s.” When he said the name of the restaurant, his expression softened for a brief moment before his features morphed back into a worried frown. Kristine shot a glance at Andrew and thought he noticed it too.

“The café on South Main?” Andrew asked.

“Yeah. He always takes one of us there on the weekend. We taketurns. But that’s his favorite place and he’d probably meet someone there. Assuming he was meeting someone.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Jacob shrugged. “My dad would have to be forced to do what he did. Did someone threaten him?” His eyes widened. “Or us?”

Kristine blinked at the astute observation but kept her mouth shut.

Nathan let out a slow breath. “Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s the only thing that makes sense.” He raised a brow, looking much older than his thirteen years. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Look, Jacob, we really can’t talk about it, but just know that we’re going to get to the bottom of it and one day you’ll know the truth about the whole thing. Deal?”

“I guess.”

Andrew nodded to Kristine. “Do you mind if Air Marshal Duncan tries to wake your mother?”

Jacob hesitated, then shrugged again. “Help yourself.”

Kristine walked past them and into the living area of the house. The first thing she noticed was how clean it smelled. The second thing was the emptiness. She turned to Jacob, who’d followed her inside. “Where are the other kids?”

“Farmed out to neighbors and church people. It’s amazing how many people offer to do something good so they can have a front-row seat to all the drama.”

“A little young to be so cynical, aren’t you?”

He snorted. “None of those people offered to lift a finger to help before. Why now?”

“Guilt? Realization that they’d failed and wanted to make up for it?”

“You believe what you want. I’ll believe what I know is true.” He swept past her and pointed down the short hallway off the living area. “Last room on the left. I don’t think you’ll have trouble finding it.”

“Do you have any coffee?” she asked.