Page 86 of Sticks and Stones (Shadow Valley U)

“Come on. It was obviously some of her dad’s guys.” I glower at him. “Unless you think it was some other stalker?”

“Well, it definitely wasn’t Brad,” Evan mutters. “I heard he started dating a cheerleader. And Wren’s conversation with him sounded…honest, actually. I believe that he only called her once.”

“And the rest…?”

Her dad. Or someone close.

I straighten suddenly. “We need to go on the offensive. Burying our heads in the sand isn’t working.”

Evan grabs his computer from his bag.

“What are you doing?”

“Pulling up the public records for her dad’s arrest.”

I grin and come around the table, dropping into the chair beside him. I lean over while he types, opening up a web page that gives bare details about his sentencing. Drug possession with intent to distribute is the top charge, among others. Weapons, extortion, other drug charges.

But there’s a note. A little flag on the file.

Appeal ongoing.

Evan and I exchange a glance.

“Who’s his lawyer?” I ask. “Some shady fucker?”

I lean farther in and scan the page.

And then I spot it.

Evan inhales sharply a split second later.

“What the fuck is your dad’s name doing on these records?” Evan asks in a low voice.

Great question. “Beats me.”

My father is Wren’s dad’s lawyer. Evan and I stare at the screen while I try to wrap my head around this. My dad is a good defense lawyer. One of the best in our town. But…I don’t know, I guess I had it in my head that he only defended wealthy white-collar assholes and innocent people. Not drug dealers.

Not herdad.

“Okay.” I clear my throat. “If this is true—”

“I don’t think we can rule it out,” Evan interrupts.

I grit my teeth. “Fine. But I can’t just up and ask my dad. There’s attorney-client privilege and all that shit. He used to say that anytime I was curious about his cases growing up.”

There’s an uncomfortable pit in my stomach.

The kind that comes along with the realization that your dad might not be a good guy.

Andyeah, I know some people, like Wren, have been living with this all their lives. But I idolized my father. I wanted to be him when I grew up. That was before the shit with my mom, before he married the step-monster, and before I discovered I could have a future in hockey.

I have no doubt in my mind that Jessie Davis is guilty of everything he was charged with. So where does that put my father?

Is he a good guy like I always thought? Defender of the innocent?

Or is he just…a lawyer who will do anything to get the job done? Who will fight the law, and exploit all its loopholes, and get his guilty clients set free?

“Fuck,” I murmur, pinching the bridge of my nose. “My head hurts.”