“No, I tripped and fell into the doorframe.”

“But it was because of him, right?”

Uriah’s gnarled hand was shaking as he wiped the blood from his mouth. “He has…emotional issues. He’s not normal.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Tobias tried to get through to the living room, but Uriah caught him by the arm.

“Please, let’s not make it worse.”

“Make what worse?”

Outside, Tobias heard an engine rumble to life. He slipped away from Uriah so he could get to the front door, but by the time he reached the porch, Carl was backing down the driveway like a maniac. He nearly got into an accident with another vehicle as he pulled onto the highway.

“Where’s he going?” Tobias asked.

Carl’s tires squealed and then his headlights swung into the road.

With a sigh, Uriah sank into his recliner and shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m just glad he’s gone.”

“Do you want me to go after him? Bring his ass back here to take responsibility for whatever he’s done?”

Uriah covered his eyes with one hand and didn’t answer.

“Uriah?”

“No. It won’t do any good. Nothing ever changes. He’s been like this since he was a boy.”

Tobias had so much adrenaline pouring through him he wanted to chase Carl down. “What set him off?”

“He’s got an old friend who lives in town. Derrick Jessup. Derrick was a terrible influence. He was trouble then, and he’s trouble now. Still lives at home. Rarely has a job. Anyway, before we went to bed, Derrick called and wanted Carl to meet him at a bar. Carl asked for money, and I wouldn’t give it to him.”

“And then…”

“And then I caught him going through my wallet while I was sleeping and tried to stop him.” His bushy eyebrows drew together in a show of his typical stubbornness. “I won’t allow him to steal from me.”

“So he hit you?”

“No. He started yelling and screaming and throwing things. I was trying to get him to stop when I tripped.”

“Did he at least help you up?”

“When he saw the blood, he just took off.”

Tobias walked out onto the porch, listening to find out if Carl had doubled back. When all remained quiet, he came back in, closed the door and locked it. “Did he take his stuff? Is he gone for good?”

“His stuff is still here.”

“Which means he’s probably coming back. Can I gather it up and leave it on the porch for him?”

“He doesn’t have anywhere else to go, Tobias. He’s lost another job, been evicted from his apartment.”

“But it isn’t safe to have him here. He isn’t stable. Who knows what he might do.”

“He’s my son,” Uriah said simply.