Page 25 (1/2)

“It doesn’t look like a bullet hole, but I should feel inside and ment inside”

I nod again This woman has made me mute

“Tell me about your kids”

“Why?”

“Just do it” I know she’s rolling her eyes at h I can’t see her

“Rose is a free-spirit, always getting into trouble I remember one time she jumped out of one of my boats into the ocean because she saw a bird dive into the water, and she thought it needed rescuing She didn’t realize that that is how some birds fish”

Liesel laughs “What happened next?”

“Rose kno to swi I stopped the boat and was about to jump in after her, but before I could Atlas ju “Hi in only made it more difficult forto save her, but it was ht of his body wrapped around her neck was drowning her Neither of theot the talk about wearing life jackets and not ju into the ocean without an adult’s permission, no matter the reason”

“You know you and I used to swie”

“You and I did a lot of stupid, dangerous things ere kids It doesn’t ”

“You’re a good father”

I don’t knohy her words make me smile Apparently, I need her approval more than I realized

“I didn’t find a bullet”

“What?”

She pulls my shirt down “I didn’t find a bullet, but we should tie your shirt around it to prevent anyand try to protect the wound a little”