Richard went to visit his daughter to celebrate his eightieth birthday, but when she opened the door, she was in tears and sent him away.
Richard sensed something was wrong and confirmed his worries after peeking through her front windows.
Richard tapped his fingers nervously on the steering wheel as he drove.
Deidre used to come over every Thanksgiving, but that stopped after his wife’s funeral four years ago.
“It’s nothing; everything’s fine,” Deidre quickly wiped her tears and forced a smile. “I just… I wasn’t expecting you, and this isn’t a good time. Sorry, Dad, but I need to focus. On my work. Look, I’ll call you. We’ll have dinner later, okay? Sorry.”
Deidre shut the door, leaving Richard feeling hurt and confused. Something was definitely wrong. Was Deidre in trouble?
Mr. Marco grinned at Richard and beckoned him closer to the table.
He turned down a narrow track that led downhill, then climbed up a slight rise and instantly regretted it.
“It was registered to Mr. Marco’s cousin, which was exactly the lead we needed to take this gang down,” replied the officer.
Richard sighed in relief. He was in the clear.
The police let him and Deidre go once they provided their statements.
Deidre burst into tears, and Richard put an arm around her. “It’s okay, honey,” he whispered soothingly. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
