And the entire situation changed.
Six months earlier, there had been an attempted mugging outside my office.
After that incident, my company’s security department had issued discreet personal safety recording devices to senior staff.
I had worn mine often enough that it had become part of my routine.
Most days, I barely thought about it.
Dad apparently had not thought about it at all.
The green indicator told me the recorder was still active.
That meant the argument might not exist only in my memory.
His demand that I sell the apartment might be there.
His explanation that Emily needed the tuition money might be there.
Mom’s response might be there.
My refusal might be there.
And what happened after I refused might be there too.
I reached for the purse.
That was when my training began to take over.
My family liked to reduce my work to a phrase Dad could mock when he was angry.
