Page 35 of Final Approach

Silence.

Andrew obviously didn’t know what to say, but Kristine had a feeling there was more to the story. And no, she didn’t feel one bit of guilt at eavesdropping through her open window. It had been stuffy in the car. She’d needed air.

Eh, not really true. The heat was blowing so she could have simply turned that off or switched it to air, but she wanted to hear what was said.

“...gonna explain what you mean by that?” Andrew was asking.

“Yeah, but not here. I’m still processing what I learned. Let me think on it a bit more.”

“All right. You can stay with me for a while. I’m in an Airbnb with a spare room. You can use it for now.”

“No, I’ll figure something out. Staying with you isn’t safe, I mean for you.”

“I think I can handle it. Here’s a new phone.”

“Thanks. I’ll forward my old number to it.”

“Is that smart?”

“It is the way I’ll do it.”

“All right then. Ditch your car and hop in. After we drop Kristine at her car, we’ll talk.”

After a brief hesitation, Hank pocketed the phone and said, “I just picked up this vehicle after I ran. None of the SN goons know it. I think it’s safe to drive it.”

“Fine, then follow me.”

“Okay. I can’t think of another alternative except to get a hotel room.”

Raindrops plopped on the windshield, but she left the window down for the moment.

“Lead the way.” Hank’s voice was rough, tired. “No need to stand here and get wet. I’ll be right behind you.”

Kristine’s phone buzzed and she watched the text from her father banner across her screen.

I had some business in town. Stopped by the townhome and found you’re not home. You okay?

She rubbed her eyes and sighed, then tapped,

Fine, Dad. Talk later.

He gave her a thumbs-up emoji and let it drop. She relaxed a fraction. That wasn’t so bad. If that was the way he handled all their interactions, she wouldn’t get so annoyed with him.

Her brother’s words played in her mind like they did several times a day.“Walk away from him,Kris.He’s too controlling. You give him an inch,he’ll take ten miles.”And just like she did several times a day, she shoved them away.

Honor your fatherand mother.

Those words echoed too.

But where was the line? At what point did she ...couldshe ... walk away from him and not look back? Physically, she might be able to do it. Emotionally? Not yet. Because of her mother. It was her fault her father was alone now. Her fault...

The door opened and Andrew slid into the seat, jerking her from her thoughts. He glanced at her window and quirked a smile.

She grimaced. “Busted. Sorry. I’m nosy. In my defense, if it had been a deeply personal conversation, I would have rolled it up.”

“It’s fine. You saved me from having to repeat the conversation.”

He put the car in gear and drove back up the little gravel road to the main turnoff. Lake City Lake faded into the background and they began to wind their way back down the mountain.