Lone Wolf Read Free Page B

it a bit late to change your mind now? You’ve already been accepted at the U of R.”
    â€œIf I got my application in right away—”
    Thomas cut him off. “A year in Regina will help you decide what you want to major in. Besides, it’s closer to home and you can come home on the weekends.”
    Ryder twisted his hands in his lap, not looking up at his father. “Saskatoon’s not that much farther. Plus, Auntie Joan lives there and Tanzi and Renee…”
    Thomas cleared his throat and sat forward in the chair. “Hold on. As much as I love my family, you know Auntie Joan is not the best role model.”
    â€œI know, I know. She drinks. But you said yourself that sometimes people need a good influence.”
    â€œAnd you think you could be that good influence?” Thomas cocked an eyebrow.
    â€œYeah.” Ryder avoided eye contact, looking instead at a calendar pinned to the bulletin board near the desk.
    â€œIt might work the other way, you know.”
    â€œDon’t you trust me?” Ryder asked. “You know I’m solid. I won’t let anything get in the way of my faith.”
    â€œOf course I trust you. It’s your Auntie Joan I don’t trust.” Thomas took a breath and then tried to smile. “Besides, I’d like to have you a little closer to home, that’s all.”
    â€œYou’re probably not going to stay here much longer yourself,” Ryder reasoned. “Maybe your next job will be further north and you’d actually be closer.”
    â€œMaybe. But that’s not a good enough reason. You know the university in Regina has exactly the kind of program you’re looking for.”
    â€œThe kind you’re looking for,” Ryder said just under his breath.
    Thomas frowned. “I’m not trying to run your life, son. But give me a little credit for having been there and done that. Your Auntie Joan is toxic. You don’t want to get involved.”
    Ryder rolled his eyes. “Dad.”
    Thomas waved a hand. “I mean it. She uses people, and I’m not going to let my son get sucked into that.”
    â€œThat is hardly the Christian response, Dad, and you know it. She’s your own sister.”
    â€œI know that. I’ve tried to help her. Your mother and I both did. But at some point, helping becomes enabling. Only God can help her, and then only if she wants it.”
    â€œI’m not dumb. I won’t do anything stupid.”
    Thomas locked gazes with his son. “We’ll talk about this again another time, okay? Right now I have work to do.”
    Ryder sighed heavily. “Okay.” He stood up and turned to leave.
    â€œRyder?”
    The boy stopped and looked over his shoulder at his father. “Yeah?”
    â€œYou know I love you, right?”
    Ryder nodded. “Of course.”
    â€œI just want what’s best for you.”
    â€œI know.”
    Thomas watched his boy-turning-man exit the tiny office space. He really did want what was best, and that meant keeping his kids away from his family. With a sigh of his own, Thomas swung his chair back to face his computer. It was time he tackled some work after all.

Chapter Two
    The next Saturday Thomas found himself in the city again, this time for an unexpected business meeting. It started at one o’clock, but he still had time to grab a quick bite to eat. Thomas pulled into his favorite fast food and coffee joint and parked his SUV.
    As he stood in line near the counter, he thought about today’s meeting. There were still a few things to work out in terms of staffing the center. The community of Marshdale expected that several positions would be recruited from local residents, especially part-timers and summer staff. There were certain interest groups that thought otherwise. Their feeling was that all staff should be visibly “native,” even if they weren’t especially qualified, lending