They pulled up to the camp in time for their lunch break. Kevin was near the front, talking to one of his friends. April watched him look up when Shane's SUV pulled in, watched his face light up the way it always did when he saw them.
Then he saw Waylon and Elias getting out of the other vehicle, still in uniform, and his smile faltered.
April and Shane got out of the truck. Kevin ran over.
"What's wrong?" he asked immediately. "Is someone hurt? Is Grandpapa okay?"
"Everyone's fine," April said, crouching down to his level. "But we need to go. There's something we need to talk to you about."
Kevin's eyes went wide. "Am I in trouble?"
"No, baby. Not at all." April pulled him into a hug. "Come on. Let's get in the SUV."
They drove in silence. Kevin sat in the back, Pete out of his crate and curled beside him, and April could feel the weight of his worry pressing against her from behind.
Finally, Kevin asked the question April had been dreading.
"Does this have to do with my bio-dad?"
April turned in her seat to look at him. "How did you?—"
"I figured it out, Mom." Kevin's voice was quiet. Small. "And…I may have eavesdropped on you guys again.”
“Oh, Kevin.” Though she had herself to blame, too. She thought back through the evenings when they thought Kevin was asleep and they discussed the ongoing surveillance, how Vince seemed to be less of a threat every day. Of course Kevin would try and listen in. She should have known better.
“But now you both look scared,” Kevin went on. “And Uncle Waylon and Uncle Elias are following us." He swallowed hard. "Is he here? Did he come? Is he…a bad guy?"
Shane pulled over into a parking lot. Turned off the engine. He twisted around to face Kevin.
"Yeah, bud. He's here. In Lyons."
Kevin nodded slowly. "Does he want to see me?"
April's heart cracked clean in half. "Kevin?—"
"It's okay, Mom." But Kevin's eyes were bright with unshed tears. "You told me he wasn't ready to be a dad when I was born. Maybe he's ready now?"
"Kevin." Shane's voice was steady and sure. "I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?"
Kevin nodded.
"Your biological father—Vince—he showed up at Riversong today. He told your mom he wants to meet you. But here's the thing, bud. He doesn't get to just walk into your life and demand things. He gave up that right before you were even born. I'm not saying you can't meet him if that's what you want. But right now, we need to keep you safe while we figure out what he really wants. Okay?"
Kevin looked between them. "Do you think he wants to hurt Mom?"
"I don't know," Shane said honestly.
“So he is a bad guy.”
"We’re still trying to figure that out. But if he is, I’m not going to let him near you or your mom. Neither are your uncles. You're safe. Your mom's safe. That's what matters."
Kevin was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, in a voice so small it barely qualified as a whisper, "I don't want to meet him. I don't need him. I have you."
Shane looked like he'd been punched in the chest. "Kev?—"
"You're my dad. Not him, not even if he’s a good guy.You." Kevin's tears spilled over. "Is that okay?"
Shane unbuckled and climbed into the back seat, pulling Kevin into his arms. "Yeah, buddy. That's more than okay."
