Two years earlier, the arguments had started small, over late nights and unexplained money. Vance noticed new shoes, a new phone, and only a small job at a garage. Adam joked, dodged, and changed the subject. Vance recognized the signs from work. It hurt more to see them at his own table.
Being a cop made it worse. Everything Adam told sounded like a statement from a suspect. Every half-truth echoed interviews from kids who later ended up in files and cells. Vance didn’t know how to be both a father and an officer. He usually chose the officer.