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and shook his head.
    His father stared. “People say a boy starts to get sassy when his father’s away.”
    Troy stared right back. “You mean for the first twelve years, or just these past months when the FBI and the Mafia have been after you?”
    â€œRemember scuba diving in the Georgia Aquarium? How many kids get to do that? The whale shark? That manta ray? Riding around in a Porsche Carrera? You weren’t complaining then.”
    Troy’s mouth hung open.
    â€œSee?” His father stood a bit taller.
    â€œNo, I don’t see,” Troy said. “I can’t even go to St. Stephen’s, and the public school I have to go to has a dog poop football team. That’s if they have football at all.”
    â€œProblems are just obstacles.” His father smiled. “You can go over them, under them, around them, or through them.”
    Troy didn’t return the smile and his father’s face got more serious. “Look, Troy, I know I’ve had my issues, but I know how to stay out in front of things. Trouble is something I’m good with, so . . . what do you think? Can I help?”
    â€œSure. Got a spare five million dollars?” Troy watched his father wince as the arrow hit home, but it didn’t make him feel any better. In fact he felt worse, and his voice grew tired. “Why are you here?”
    â€œI know things have gotten tangled up, but I care, Troy. I care about you.”
    Despite everything, Troy felt his heart swell with hope and . . . he guessed it was love , and that made him mad. “And you have a plan, don’t you?”
    His father laughed. “What are you talking about?”
    The words gushed out of Troy’s mouth. “If you know what’s going on with me and the Jets, you can bet on the games, win some money.”
    His father huffed. He dipped his face down and touched his own chest. “Me? I . . . How did you know?”
    â€œIt’s like football.” Troy didn’t try to keep the disgust out of his voice. “Sometimes the pieces just come together and I know exactly what’s going on. At least you didn’t try to deny it.”
    â€œWell.” His father found his smile again. “I can’t see how a little inside information would hurt anyone.”
    Troy suddenly wanted his father to leave. “Do you know what Mom would do if she knew you were here?”
    â€œCall the police?” His father put the football under one arm and held out the other hand for Troy to shake. “Got it. I’m going anyway. No need to worry about me. Good luck, son. You don’t have to love me back, but I love you .”
    Part of Troy wanted to shake his father’s hand, but he couldn’t. Not after what the man had done and what he wanted to do now. When his father took his hand back, Troy wanted to cry out, but his father had already turned and was halfway across the lawn before Troy’s thoughts were anything but a jumble.
    When the man reached the corner of the house, he turned to look at Troy and flashed his grin.
    â€œCatch!” He fired the football at Troy.
    Troy’s hands snatched the whistling ball from the air. He caught it, but it stung.
    â€œYou know what?” His father’s voice carried across the lawn as confident as ever. “One day you’re going to need me, Troy. And one day I’m going to be there for you when no one else will.”
    The words stunned Troy. They were so similar to what Seth Halloway had once said to him. Troy gripped the ball, bit into his lower lip, and blinked.
    In that same instant, his father was gone.

CHAPTER EIGHT
    WHEN THANE AND TY pulled up in the big black Escalade, Troy was over the little scene with his father, having stuffed it into the same back closet where he kept the fleeting memory of the Georgia Aquarium. What made him more uncomfortable now was the shabby house he and his mom were