Page 5 of Defensive Indifference

“Easier said than done, I think. They came out of nowhere and attacked. I never stood a chance.”

Andrew’s unease spreads across the room, leaving all of us on edge. If he’s on edge, I can’t help feeling Coach’s kindness is only so thin.

“What happened, exactly?” Lottie asks, her gentle tone the only soothing thing keeping us remotely sane.

“I stopped for gas on the way to practice. My card was declined, I chalked it up to a safety flag, and went inside to pay. While inside, they came to tow my car and the reporters swarmed in. After that is kind of a blur, but I was practically suffocated until Spencer and Katie showed up.”

“We only knew to look for Koa after they took Katie’s horse. I was on my way to practice when she called.” Spencer nods my way. “She couldn’t get ahold of Koa, so she called me.”

Katie’s gaze briefly shifts his way, then back out the window to watch the dogs. Andrew’s kids are napping, which is a small blessing. I adore them, dote over them as often as possible, but twins crying through our discussion would only put me on a sharper edge at this point. My nerves can’t take much more.

“Do you think the claims might be true?” Andrew asks.

With a heavy sigh, I scrub a hand over my face for the hundredth time. “My heart says no and that there must be something more to it, but the truth is, we’re not a close family. You know that.”

Andrew frowns. “Yeah. I guess I was hoping…praying, really.”

Spencer glances at Katie again, then to me with a cautious gaze. “What will we do if it’s all true?”

“Not sure. I need to talk to Mr. Johnson, see what he’s discovered, and I guess we’ll figure it out then.”

“When are you supposed to meet with the lawyer?” Spencer asks.

I check my watch, a little surprised I managed to keep it on my wrist, with the vultures circling at the gas station. Groaning, I stand. “In twenty minutes, actually. I better get going. They good to stay with you for a while?”

Andrew narrows in on me, nods once, and I know my baby sister is safe here. None of that reporter nonsense, no one charging her to get a quick story about our father. I’m still not sure whether the news is true, considering our mother isn’t responding to calls, but that doesn’t matter. The world thinks he’s guilty, and so he is until he proves his innocence, which I’m beginning to doubt with each news story that airs on Andrew’s television.

“You can take my car. I doubt anyone would notice it.” Lottie digs in her purse and pulls out a keychain with a witty pun about math on it.

“Thanks, Lots.”

She drops the keys in my palm with a sweet smile. A wave of jealousy clenches my jaw. Time and again, Charlotte proves to be not only an amazing friend, but the perfect mate for Andrew. It isn’t so much her that I’m jealous over, of course not. She’s my friend’s wife. It’s that I’ve wanted what they have for so long and can’t seem to find it that brings that greedy monster to life in me. Every relationship crashes, fails from the start, and I’m left grieving the loss of something that wasn’t worth the time. It’s honestly too bad she doesn’t have a single sister.

A quick glance to Spencer, a quiet agreement between us, and I’m out the door to face the world again. Hopefully Lottie is right and I can manage to make it to the lawyer’s without too much trouble, prayerfully without anyone recognizing me in her car. I tug my ball cap low and pray her tinted windows are enough to hide my identity until I can get this over with, figure out where to go from here, and get cease and desist orders sent to every local and nationwide news outlet known to man.

Fortunately, the drive is peaceful. No reporters to be seen, and I’m able to slip into the office with zero hassle. Thank goodness, my lawyer agreed to help me with delayed payment. That’s where my good luck ends.

“Koa, I’m afraid there isn’t much that can be done until the investigation is complete. If they have reason to suspect that your car and home and your sister’s horse, among other things, were purchased with the funds your father illegally obtained—”

“Allegedly.”

Mr. Peterson sighs. “Allegedly, yes, but I am first and foremost representing you and your sister. Please be clear on that now, Koa.”

I nod and bite back a smart remark about my family being innocent. The truth is, I don’t know. With what Mr. Peterson laid out in front of me, it’s anyone’s guess whether our father knew what he was getting into or not. There’s still a shot he was bullied or tricked, but the evidence brings up questions, at best.

“Until they can confirm the source of income for the purchases, they have every right to seize them. On the plus side of this, you make a sizeable income with your career, and the direct deposits into your investments are proof that your income is solely based on your own contracts and endorsements.”

“Speaking of endorsements…”

Peterson sighs. “So far, you’ve lost one, but the others have voiced concerns. They are, however, willing to wait out the storm, provided the investigation returns nothing unfavorable about you in particular.”

Shaking my head, I bite back my words again. I haven’t done anything wrong. Haven’t even taken a penny from my father since I graduated from college, and here I sit ready to lose everything. Anger and bitterness sway between my father and everyone who accuses him. I don’t know what to believe, what is right. I do know I did nothing wrong, and yet, I’m paying for it as if I’m the one arrested, tried, and found guilty before there’s even a trial.

“We’ll get through this. You’re innocent. The investigation will yield the results we hope for, but patience is key. No more confrontations like this morning or your publicist won’t have much to work with.”

My publicist. I hadn’t even considered calling her, but I probably need to check in and see if there’s anything I can do for damage control. No doubt, she is one of the hundreds of missed calls I still haven’t sorted through, and she’s probably a nervous wreck at this point.

“What about Katie’s horse?”