Family business

“I have a lot of questions myself,” you say, “if you want me to tell something, promise to answer my questions later.”

“I’m not surprised,” your father says calm, “you have every right to have questions. But what I need to know is very important for the whole family business. Depending on your answers, I will have to make several … decisions.”

“Well, then ask,” you say carefully and clearly not happy, “let’s see what I will ask.”

“The lawyer I sent you told me, that he was not able to assist you in your questioning,” your father tells you, “according to him, two agents of the FBI took over the case and tried to press information out of you.”

“The same lawyer who told me that he is allowed to use **** to bring me here?” you ask still angry about that, “don’t take it personally, but I would have preferred a different kind of defender assistance anyway.”

“Wait, he told you what?” interrupts your granduncle shocked, “Warren, what is she talking about?”

“You must understand me, dear, I didn’t knew you,” you father says surprising calm, “I had no Idea what your mother told you. About me and about my business. I had to make sure you are safe and under protection. It was for your own good. Believe me, nobody was ordered to harm you. Not as long as there was any other option. And this only contains unofficial family business, uncle, not your part of the business. I also had no time to inform you. But back to my question. What has the FBI asked you? And what information did they gave you.”

“They suspect you of course,” you answer, “they wanted to find out if you are responsible for mothers’ ****. Of course they also asked about your business, but mother never told me anything. Oh, and they asked me about a phone call between you some weeks ago.”

“Well, just to get this straight, I didn’t killed her and I didn’t ordered anybody to do it,” your father tells you, “I’m not a saint, but I had cleared everything with my former wife.”

“And what was the phone call about?” you ask, “I didn’t even knew there was one. Mom always told me there was no contact between her and you. Since she left.”

“That’s mostly right,” your father admits, “after she left I asked a few of my men to find her. And you of course. We had some phone calls and I tried to make her come back. But she refused. And she wanted you to grow up outside of my family. You should grow up free from danger and crime, but also free from wealth and luxury. She also refused that I support her with money and protection. She was … very stubborn. But that was what I liked so much about her. I agreed under the condition, that I’m allowed to meet you after your 18th birthday and you can decide by your own how you want to live.”

“The party was nice,” you mumble, “I got some presents, a lot of friends came and one even smuggled some beer in our home. A guy who secretly has a crush on me got brave enough to kiss me. And mother allowed me to drive her car for the first time. I passed my driving test two weeks ago. But I'm afraid you missed all this. Just like every other birthday, there was no card, no visit, no nothing.”

“I decided to not come uninvited and wanted to call your mother first,” your father says excusing but doesn't sound sorry, “ but to my surprise she called me first. However, I can’t tell you what she said to me. If she didn’t wanted you to know, I will honor her last decision. I know it’s not what you expected as an answer but I hope you understand this.”

This was not the answer you hoped for. It seems you get nothing out of your father. At least not now. Well It would have been too easy this way. At least you know now that she was the one who called. Maybe he tells you more after you improve your relationship a little.

“And what did the FBI wanted you to do?” your father asks again, “was there somebody else who talked to you?”

“There was a junkie who wanted my money in the police stations toilet,” you answer.

“That’s not what I meant,” your father replies more tense this time, “answer my question seriously, daughter!”

His question is very precise to be honest. He must assume they wanted you to go undercover. There is no need to deny it, you can blame the Agents. But you wonder if your father knows anything about your contact, the police officer.