A Hard Case

Chapter 11

"What's up, Rox?" Lucas had her on speaker because he was the one who was driving. In all honesty, he didn't want to talk to any of his family members at the moment but he had made sure his family's phones couldn't be tracked.

"Lucas, why are you being stupid?"

"Meaning?"

"Pretending to be dead? Mom and dad can't figure out why you would even want to do something like that."

"I told them why. But I'll give you two reasons right now. First, if the killers thought I was alive they would continue going after my family. I don't want that. I want you guys to be safe. Second, I honestly don't care what mom and dad think. If they aren't going to support me then they don't get an opinion."

"Lucas!"

"It's true."

"You aren't even spending time with your..."

"Don't finish that sentence," Lucas warned. "I'm doing this to protect them. It's the only way."

"Oh really? So you push them off to your pregnant sister? That's not helping her like you promised me."

"Beth isn't the only one watching them. They're at Kris's house and Christina is helping her."

"From what I heard Christina just had a baby. So you push your kids off to a new mom?"

"Christina wanted to help. And if you were being smart right now you'll drop the subject."

"Lucas, I didn't want to say this because I know this is what you wanted but I have no choice but to tell you." He heard her take a deep breath. "I think mom and dad are right. You should quit being a detective and be a plumber with dad. I can't lose my brother and that will happen if you remain as a detective."

He hung up and her without even answering and didn't pick up when she called back. I was right. She is turning out to be like mom, he thought. He lost one of his supporters. His phone kept ringing and he ignore it. Kris, Drew, and Zack all gave him his space for a little bit. Then Kris broke the silence.

"Lucas?" He asked quietly.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay."

They didn't speak the rest of the way to Drew's. When they got to his house they saw a car there, one Lucas knew quite well. His unhappiness started showing. It was Roxy's car.

She got out when Lucas did.

"Go away, Roxy," Lucas said, acidly.

"You hung up on me and I wasn't done."

"Done with what? Telling me to be a quitter? Or telling me I lost your support? If you're going to like that then I don't want to talk to you or be anywhere near you," he said, furiously.

"You have kids, Luke!"

"Don't call me that! Only people I trust get to call me that. People I don't trust call me Lucas and you fall under that category."

"You can trust me!"

"I thought you supported me and you don't. You lied!"

"It wasn't a lie," she cried.

"I can't trust you," he snarled.

"Lucas, please. You have two kids who just lost their mom. You need to be there for them," she said, softly, crying.

"When this case is over I will be with them."

"They'll be safe if you quit!"

"No, they won't and I'm not a quitter!"