Matt jumped in. “When did you see your parents last?”
“I was home for Christmas,” Noah said.
“Did they both seem normal?” Matt asked.
“Yeah.” Noah’s answer sounded half-hearted, but he didn’t elaborate. He seemed distracted, as if he was having an entirely different conversation in his own head. Was he replaying events from his holiday break? Or was he simply unwilling to talk about his parents’ marriage problems?
Matt changed topics. “Did you know your dad had a gun?”
“Uh-huh.” Noah’s brows furrowed.
“I used to go shooting with my dad,” Matt lied. His dad was more comfortable with a wooden spoon. “Did your dad ever take you?”
Noah frowned. “Yeah. He took me and Timothy out a couple of times. Dad liked all that man’s man stuff. Fishing, shooting, football . . . He didn’t like that we played tennis.”
“Do you still play tennis?” Matt asked.
“Sure.” Noah nodded. “There’s courts at my girlfriend’s apartment complex. I’m teaching her to play.”
Bree shifted her chair an inch closer, making their proximity more intimate. “But you didn’t like those activities your dad liked?”
“Not really. We used to go fishing with him once in a while, just to make him happy. But it’s not my thing.” Noah flushed. Was he embarrassed at not meeting his father’s idea of a “man’s man”?
Matt sat back and sighed. “It’s hard when you can’t live up to your dad’s expectations. My dad was disappointed when I became a cop.” None of this was true. Matt’s dad was an I love you no matter what parent. He loved to cook. He watched Chopped instead of football, but Matt needed to connect with Noah.
Noah bobbed his head. “When me and Timothy picked majors, Dad lost his shit.”
Slightly different from Angela’s story.
“What’s your major?” Bree asked.
“Education. I’m going to be a teacher.”
“Like your mom,” Matt said.
Noah brightened. “Yeah.”
“What’s your brother’s major?” Bree asked.
“Law.” Noah winced. “Tim will make money. At least Dad respected that.”
“But your dad didn’t respect education,” Matt prodded.
“No. He wanted me to major in engineering or business so I could take over the company. He threatened to cut off my tuition. He would have too, but Mom stopped him.” Noah’s eyes focused inward. “She didn’t do that often. Usually, she found a way to work around him, most of the time without him ever knowing it. She doesn’t like confrontation, and Dad could be a bully.”
Matt took that to mean Angela was sneaky. “How so?”
Noah glanced away, his face locked in conflict.
“Was he mean to all of you, or just your mom?” Bree asked.
Noah’s jaw tightened.
Bree said, “My dad had a temper. He did nothing but yell and scream—and worse.” She swallowed. “When I was little, I used to think his blowups were my fault. That I’d done something to make him angry. Now that I’m an adult, I know that wasn’t the case. He was a bully not only because he was bigger and stronger, but because he wanted to be one. He enjoyed making us feel small. He liked to be mean.”
Noah’s eyes locked on hers, and there was the connection they’d needed. Matt wished it had been something different—he could hear the truth in Bree’s voice. She wasn’t bullshitting Noah.
Bree’s voice was soft. “Did he hit your mom?”
Noah shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Did he ever hit you?”
Noah sighed. His body caved forward in surrender. “No, but he was so fucking intimidating. He wasn’t a huge man, but when he got mad, he seemed bigger somehow. I can’t explain it.”
“Because it always seemed like he was going to hit you.” Bree clearly understood. “Even when he didn’t.”
Noah froze. “Yeah. That was it.” His gaze dropped. “So, why was he still intimidating when I’d grown up to be as tall as him?”
She said, “Sometimes we still see things through the eyes of the children we once were.”
Noah nodded. “I guess that makes sense.” His mouth went pensive, and he remained quiet. After a few seconds of time ticked by, most people couldn’t stand silence, but Noah didn’t seem to care.
“We talked to your mom earlier today.” Bree raised her hand. “Don’t worry. We didn’t tell her you were in town. That’s up to you.”
“My mom was here?” The blood drained from Noah’s face. “Why?”
“Oh, we’re talking to everyone who was close to your dad.” Bree’s tone was artificially nonchalant, and her body language suggested there was more to it than that.
Noah’s body slammed forward, the legs of the chair hitting the floor with a bang. “My mom