"So? What is it?"
"Aggravated assault and battery. He likes beating people up."
"How long has he been locked up?"
"Seven years. Jake was too young to remember what he was like. He keeps asking to go see him but I refuse to take him. My dad would just tell him what he wants to hear so Jake will turn against me and accuse me of keeping him from our dad."
"Does Jake know what your dad did?"
"He does, but he doesn't know the details."
"And you do."
Dean nods as he types something on his laptop.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"No. I don't even want to think about it. Talking about it's even worse."
I really want to know what that means. How bad did his father beat someone up that Dean can't even talk about it? And how many people did his dad hurt?
"What are you looking up?" I ask.
"Can't tell you."
"Why? You've already told me stuff you didn't want me to know. What's one more thing?"
"I need to deal with this myself. I haven't even told Jake yet."
I pause, trying to think of what it could be.
"He's getting out."
Dean's eyes go to mine. "How the fuck did you know that?"
"It's the only thing I could think of that would make you react this way. How long was his sentence?"
"Ten years. A friend of his called me last night and said my dad's up for parole. He could be out in a few weeks or a few months. I don't know how it works. That's why I've been looking it up. I searched all night and I still can't understand how the hell it works. Every site I find has a different answer."
"Has he had a hearing yet?"
"What do you mean?"
"A parole hearing. He has to go before a parole board to request parole. They don't just give it to him. And a lot of the time they don't approve it, especially if the person's been convicted of a violent crime."
"Shit, really?" He breathes out a sigh of relief. "How do you know all this?"
"My dad's a lawyer. He doesn't do criminal law. He's a corporate attorney. I'm thinking of being a lawyer myself but I'm not sure what kind. Last year I did some research on criminal law and how it works, which is why I know this stuff."
Dean's staring at me. "You just keep surprising me. What else haven't you told me?"
"You'll have to keep hanging out with me to find out." I point to the computer. "Can I take over?"
"What are you doing to do?"
"If you go to the prison website they usually have records saying when someone's up for parole and the hearing date. I can look it up for you."
"I'll do it," he says, turning the laptop so I can't see the screen. "Okay, I'm at the site. I see the inmate information but there's nothing on here about hearing dates."
