Dylan thought back. The first argument he could recall was not long after he’d broken the word to his dad. “Damn. You’re right.” The pieces snapped together. How had he missed that?
Still, despite what Tara said, his father wasn’t a conniving person. “He might not even realize that’s what he’s doing,” Dylan said.
“Hard to know. He shoots from the hip.”
“I need to talk with him, that’s for sure. Can you give me a week before you take the job? I don’t want to lose you if we can straighten this out.”
“Yeah. I told them I’d need some time. I’d like to stay, but not if I have to fight for authority, Dylan.”
“I understand.”
“Good luck.” Touching the edge of his cap in a quick salute, Victor turned and left.
Dylan stood for a few seconds, stunned that he’d missed something so obvious. Victor thought he and his father were locked together, that Dylan would never leave the company.
He’d already concluded he’d have to stay longer to get his father back on track after Abbott’s death.
He’ll always need you more. That’s what Tara had said.
Troy Waller had told him point-blank at lunch that he was running for mayor after all. I can’t wait around for you, he’d said. Troy didn’t believe Dylan would quit Ryland Engineering, either.
Dylan felt like an idiot. He had been blind. Not to the extent Tara claimed, but blind enough. Damn.
There would never be the perfect time to leave. The sailing would never be smooth, the ground would never be solid. Dylan had to go anyway.
Frankly he knew his father wasn’t having much fun working with him, either. They argued constantly. If Victor was ever to get the respect he deserved, then Dylan had to get out of the way so the two men could figure out a working relationship. He took a deep breath and headed into his father’s office. They had a lot to talk about.
His father stood at the window. When he turned, Dylan noticed his hand was wrapped. Then he saw the broken glass on the desk. He’d smashed the picture of him and Abbott. The man definitely had a childish streak.
“You back to apologize?” his father asked.
“No, I’m not.”
“She poisoned your mind that much? How could you think that I would harm Abbott? For all his crimes, he was my friend.” His voice dropped and went hoarse. “Good God, son.”
Dylan would not soften. Not now. “I know you didn’t put the part in his car. I told Tara that. It doesn’t change the fact that you put them in my car and Candee’s without telling us. You risked our lives, Dad.”
“That’s bullshit. There’s nothing wrong with those parts.”
“One of them was in Abbott’s Tesla. If it’s faulty, then it contributed to the accident. And if it was, then Ryland Engineering is in big trouble. Tara and I are going to find out the truth.”
“Tara? She doesn’t want the truth. She wants to destroy us! You don’t see that? Her mother’s probably in on it, too.” His eyes looked wild. “She called me that night, you know. Said she needed to talk to me, that it was important that she talk to me first. She never showed.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this?”
“Why did it matter? I never saw the woman.” His father’s eyes blazed. “That’s not the first time Rachel Wharton said one thing and did the other.”
“What does that mean?”
“Not important.”
He glared at his father, sick to death of his twisted emotions and confused motivations. “I’ll tell you what is important—the contract with Wharton which you practically cost us.”
“Maybe that’s for the best.”
“No, Dad. It’s not for the best. I don’t know why you want to kill it, and it doesn’t really matter because we need the contract. I won’t lose it if there’s any way to save it. And here’s something else. I’m leaving the company. I’ll stay until this business with the bad parts is resolved, one way or the other. I’ll see us through whatever comes of the Tesla wreck investigation. In the meantime, Victor’s going to take over most of my duties.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“It’s been ten years, Dad. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished here. But I’m done. I need to move on. You need me to move on. You have to step up to the plate and lead the company, stop throwing stones into the works. Victor will do great in my place. Better, in fact, since he’s an engineer, too.”