Because…
Why hadn’t he?
Ellis saw the doubt cross my face.
“He didn’t have time.”
Victor laughed.
“That’s what they told you?”
His voice softened.
“Julian.”
“I held you the day you were born.”
“I buried your dog when you were twelve.”
“I sat beside your hospital bed after your appendix surgery.”
He took one careful step forward.
“I’ve never lied to you.”
Ellis answered before I could.
“Except about taking money from Black Hollow.”
Victor sighed.
“I took money.”
“I admit it.”
The confession stunned me.
“But I never killed anyone.”
He looked directly into my eyes.
“Your father did.”
Everything stopped.
“No.”
“He’ll never tell you about Chicago.”
“No.”
“The accountant.”
“No.”
“The witness who disappeared.”
“No!”
Victor reached into his pocket.
Ellis immediately fired.
The bullet struck the pavement inches from his shoe.
“Don’t!”
Victor slowly raised both hands.
“I’m not pulling a gun.”
He withdrew…
A photograph.
Old.
Bent at the corners.
He held it where I could see.
My father.
Twenty years younger.
Standing beside a man lying face down in blood.
I felt sick.
Victor tossed the photograph onto the wet pavement.
“I’ll leave it there.”
“Look for yourself.”
Ellis didn’t move.
Neither did I.
The rain carried the picture across the asphalt until it stopped against my shoe.
I picked it up.
The man on the ground…
Was bleeding.
But my father wasn’t helping him.
He was kneeling beside him.
Trying to stop the bleeding.
The date stamp read…
October 14.
Twenty years ago.
I looked closer.
