Read Into the Deep 02 Out of the Shallows for Free Online Page A

mistake,” Dad finished for her, his voice rising in temper. “And the police thing? I can’t believe that one hasn’t got to do with the other. A few months ago you were settled about going to law school. He comes back in the picture and suddenly you want to be a damn homicide detective all over again. It’s morbid, Charley!”
    Despite the severity of the situation, I struggled not to laugh. He didn’t mean it to be funny, but it kind of was. Especially considering I hadn’t mentioned anything about becoming a homicide detective. Clearly, our discussion about it when I was sixteen had never left my father. And I knew it was purely because he worried about me.
    “Dad, Jake has nothing to do with my decision to apply to the academy. I’ve always wanted to be a cop—I just didn’t want to disappoint you and Mom.”
    “Then don’t,” he grumbled.
    I snorted. “Dad, I’ve got to do what makes me happy. That’s all you and Mom have ever said I should do.”
    “Since when,” Mom snapped, “does happiness and mortal danger go hand in hand?”
    I released a beleaguered sigh. “Since when did becoming a police officer become such a big deal? Rick is one.”
    “Rick’s not my daughter,” Dad growled. “I’ve done everything in my power to keep my kids safe, but you seem intent on thwarting me.”
    “Thwarting?” I teased.
    Mom gave me a look. “This is not the time to be a smart-ass.”
    “When you were five, I caught you trying to turn a coyote into a pet,” Dad reminded me.
    “He was wounded,” I argued. “He needed my help.”
    “He was a coyote!”
    “Jim.” Mom rubbed his shoulder. “Chill.”
    I raised an eyebrow. “Chill?”
    They glared at me.
    “Dad—”
    “When you were ten, you almost drowned in the creek trying to save Lacey—”
    “Technically, Lacey almost drowned.”
    “If Roger Pearson hadn’t been walking his dog nearby, the two of you would’ve gone under! And let’s not forget the time you shoved your sister out of the way of a moving vehicle!”
    “Oh, so you would’ve preferred that I let her get hit!” I shouted back, wondering where the hell all of this was coming from.
    “I want—” My dad took a deep breath and when he spoke again, his voice had lowered. “I want my kid to be safe. Don’t get me wrong, Charlotte, I am so proud of who you are. But that doesn’t mean I don’t worry myself sick over what situation you’re going to put yourself into because you’ve got it in your damn head you have to save people.”
    “I don’t have that in my head,” I promised. “But I was raised by two people who taught me that you don’t stand idly by when someone needs help.”
    My parents were quiet for a moment. Then Mom said, “There’s helping when a situation arises, and then there’s looking for that situation. That’s what being a cop is.”
    “No, I disagree. It’s being there to help when a situation arises. It’s who I am.”
    “And Jake?” Dad said, his words brittle. “Is he who you are? Because last time I checked, he was a selfish coward who broke my daughter’s heart.”
    My defenses rose at his insult. “Don’t talk about him that way,” I said, quiet but stern. “I won’t listen to it.”
    “You need to think.” Dad leaned toward the camera, his hazel eyes almost pleading. “Just… promise me you’ll take some time away from him to really think.”
    “I don’t need to.”
    “Charley—”
    “Are you going to support me or not?”
    My parents looked at each other, something grim passing between them. Finally, my dad looked at the camera. “I won’t ever have that boy in this house again and we are not done discussing law school.”
    I knew that look on my father’s face. I knew it because it was the same look I got when I wouldn’t budge. My chest ached and I felt the stinging burn of tears behind my eyes.
    For the first time in my life, my parents had really hurt me.
    “You always told me people deserve a second