Inside was a bank statement.
An $8,000 payment.
Sent three weeks earlier.
To Steven’s father.
I stared at David.
“Why?”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“Steven’s father contacted me.”
“What did he want?”
“He said Steven was dangerous.”
My hands began shaking.
“He wanted money to keep Steven away from Kayla.”
“You paid him?”
“Yes.”
“And never told me?”
“I thought it was handled.”
Suddenly everything made sense.
David’s fear.
His silence.
Steven’s confidence.
My husband had known the situation was dangerous.
He had just convinced himself he could solve it privately.
Then Steven started laughing.
“You still don’t understand.”
The officer stepped toward him.
“Enough.”
Steven shook his head.
“You think my father was trying to protect Kayla?”
He smiled.
“He was protecting himself.”
