“That’snot what happened,” Gage clarified, his eyes darting over to the sheriff.
“No,it’s not. Jimmy showed up at Moonshiners with his brass balls last night,”Sawyer growled. “The bastard thought he could start running off at the mouth,and Pa intervened. Unfortunately for Jimmy, Pa doesn’t do well with threats.”
Ethanwatched the sheriff, wondering why his father had ended up in jail if that wasthe case.
“Sowhy did Trav have to bail him out of jail?” Zane asked, sounding just asconfused as Ethan felt.
“Hedidn’t,” Sheriff Endsley stated.
“Wenever said he bailed him out, you dipshit,” Sawyer groaned. “We said he had togo pick him up.”
“Samedifference.”
“Iwasn’t arrested, boys.” Curtis leaned forward in his chair and glanced aroundthe room. “Regardless, I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t use my behavior lastnight as a guide to how to handle a situation like that.”
“Youhit him?” Jared asked, a smug smile on his face. If Ethan had to guess, hiscousin was impressed.
“Jimmythrew the first punch,” Travis intervened quickly. “Who knew Dad could movethat fast?”
Ethanfelt his father’s eyes on him, and he couldn’t look away.
Curtissighed before explaining further. “Your mother and I have taught you not tojudge people. You don’t look down on someone else, and by God, you don’t havethe right to decide what is right or wrong for anyone else. That’s where Jimmywent wrong. His actions have hurt a lot of people. He should’ve been punishedlong ago and maybe he’d have had some time to sit and think about how hisactions affected others.”
Whatwas his father talking about? There was no way he knew what had happened. Couldhe? Ethan glanced over at Sawyer, anger and betrayal boiling deep in his gut.How could he tell their parents? No one was supposed to know.
“Yousound as though you’re talking about something specific,” Brendon stated.
Ethandidn’t look at Brendon. He didn’t look at anyone but his father.Pleasedon’t say it has anything to do with me.
“Bren,it’s not my story to tell,” Curtis said. “If and when the time comes then Ipromise you’ll understand.”
Ethanfelt the heat of Beau’s body behind him, and he was the only reason Ethandidn’t make a run for it. That and he’d have to walk to his house becausethey’d arrived in Beau’s truck. It wasn’t because he was comforted by Beau’spresence, although there was that. But because he knew he wouldn’t get far.Beau would come after him and then he’d be forced to face the fact that he’dput his family in this situation.
Itdidn’t seem to matter that he had tried to protect them all these years. He hadstill failed.
??
Beauwas confident that his confusion was written plainly across his face. Based onwhat he’d learned from Ethan, Curtis shouldn’t know what went down with JimmyReardon. Of the men standing in the living room, only Sawyer would’ve beenprivy to that information.
Forclarification, he wanted to ask Curtis for the whole story, but he knew thiswasn’t the time or place. And he didn’t really think it would make much of a differenceanyway, but he could sense Ethan’s emotions. He could see the way his shouldersdeflated and knew he was taking on the responsibility for everything that hadhappened although he couldn’t have possibly been to blame.
Thenagain, humans were often strange like that. Taking on blame even when thingswere out of their control.
Asthe group disbanded, Beau stayed behind, waiting for Ethan. When he realizedCurtis was trying to get Ethan’s attention, Beau snagged Ethan’s arm and thenmotioned toward the eldest Walker before attempting to sneak out the back doorto wait outside.
“Beau,wait.” Curtis’ booming voice thundered through the house, and Beau came upshort, much as he had when he’d been a kid and he and Zane had been caughtdoing something they shouldn’t have been doing.
“Yes,sir?”
“Iwant to talk to you and Ethan. When everyone leaves.” Curtis’ voice was low, asthough he didn’t want the others to hear.
Shit.This couldn’t be good.
“Ireally need to get home,” Ethan said sullenly, his eyes never making directcontact with his father’s.
“Toughshit, boy,” Curtis replied in his usual growling baritone and then followedJared and Sheriff Endsley to the back door.
“Fuck.Fuck. Fuck,” Ethan groaned, his hand balling into a fist at his side. “I’m notfucking ten years old. I don’t need my father talking to me. It’s not hisfucking place.”
