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sense.”
    “What did he say?” Did Jon want to know?
    “He said, ‘It can see you now’ and then ‘The light shines. And it’s afraid.’ When I told him I didn’t understand, he said ‘You will.’” There was hope and tragedy in Ellis’s gaze. “Do you know what he meant?”
    “No.”
    Ellis continued to flip the square of paper.
    “I think you should open it.”
    “Did you get a hold of George?”
    “His wife said he was at the sheriff’s station.”
    “Why?”
    “She couldn’t say, just that they called him in for some reason.”
    Ellis stared at the square of paper.
    “Please open it.”
    He put the can of soda in the cup holder. “What do you think it is?”
    “I don’t have a clue.”
    Ellis paused at the last fold. “What if it’s something bad?”
    “It could be. But it could also be something good.” Jon prayed it was, because Ellis needed something bright in all this darkness.
    The crinkling of the paper filled the car.
    A big red heart with a tracing of hand in the center, broke apart the field of white. Fractured letters near the bottom spelled Rudy’s name. Jon swallowed around the lump in his throat.
    “Jon?”
    “Yeah, sweetheart.”
    “I think I might be losing my mind.” Ellis held the sheet close to his chest.
    “If you are, I’m on the train sitting beside you.”
    Ellis smiled a little. “Do you think we should tell George?”
    “Maybe later.” Not if last night was an indication as to how he would react. “Let’s go talk to him about the house first.”
    George’s car was parked in the employee lot.
    Jon pulled into a visitor space. “Do you want to go with me or stay here?”
    “I’ll go.”
    “You don’t have to.”
    “Yes I do.”
    The woman behind the sliding glass window had them wait in the lobby while she went to see if George was available.
    “Do you think he’ll even see us?” Ellis said.
    “Hope so.”
    The door in the back opened and she waved them in. “Down the hall, fourth door on your right.”
    A man in a suit stepped out as they approached. He gave them a polite nod as he passed. Inside the office George looked over some papers.
    “Are you sure you’re retired? You still have an office,” Jon said.
    George’s gaze was all business but he smiled. “It’s not mine. It’s Detective Sparks’s. I just came in here to take a phone call and have some privacy while the DA and I talked.” He put the papers on the desk. “What can I do for you two?”
    Ellis sat on the edge of one of the chairs. A tremor danced up his jaw.
    “Ellis?” The heat of George’s anger vibrated the air between him and Jon.
    Ellis swallowed several times. “Lenny destroyed the house.”
    “What?”
    “He came into my home, George…he came into my home…he destroyed Rudy’s things.”
    “Not just Rudy’s room,” Jon said. “The windows have been shot out, and he wrote a lot of ugly things on the walls. He also slashed the tires on Ellis’s truck.” The burning in Jon’s eyes threatened to spill down his cheeks. Even right after the warehouse disaster he didn’t cry, but this was different because it was Ellis.
    “Are you two okay?”
    “We weren’t there.” Jon cleared his throat. “We stayed at a hotel last night in Maysville.”
    “I didn’t want to go home,” Ellis said. “I should have.”
    “You’re lucky you didn’t.” George picked up the phone. “Seems like it’s gonna be one of those days.” He spoke to the person on the other end of the line, then hung up. “Sheriff Barry said he’ll go out there with a couple of officers.”
    “I didn’t go over the place,” Jon said. “If he’s got booby traps, someone might get hurt.”
    “Barry said the same thing. He’ll call the K9 unit in Maysville. They’ll let us borrow someone.”
    The phone rang. George picked it up. “This is Marsh.” He massaged his forehead. “Norris, my answer is the same now as it was twenty minutes ago.” His gaze flicked to Ellis then