Chapter 14
Dahlia wrote Archie a letter one year later.
She sent it to me.
Not him.
Good.
The envelope said:
FOR GARRICK TO DECIDE WHEN OR IF.
Progress.
I read it.
No excuse.
No story about Vincent.
No blaming Ellis.
Just:
I put you somewhere no child should be put as punishment.
I destroyed your food to make you feel less worthy.
I did it because your recognition of the watch frightened me.
You did nothing wrong.
I am sorry.
I kept the letter.
Not hidden.
Stored.
One day Archie could choose.
He was four now.
Too young.
He cared more about Bishop learning to shake paws.
Ellis never wrote.
Also information.
He had moved south.
Working private security outside Flynn.
Fine.
Nolan visited Red Hollow occasionally.
The equipment cottage was renovated.
Not erased.
He turned it into a workshop.
I asked why.
“Because I’m tired of bad rooms getting all the symbolism.”
Fair.
Bishop loved it there.
Archie eventually visited.
Under normal circumstances.
Sunlight.
Food.
No chains.
He found the old radiator pipe.
No ankle cuff.
Just pipe.
“Uncle slept here?”
Nolan paused.
“Once.”
Archie frowned.
“Bad bed.”
“Very.”
Then he showed Archie the workshop tools.
No long explanation.
No trauma inheritance.
Good.
On the drive home Archie asked:
“Dog bring watch?”
“Yes.”
“Bishop hero?”
I smiled.
“Bishop was a good dog.”
“Hero.”
Fine.
Some stories can be simple for a while.
He did not need Dahlia.
Vincent.
Malcolm.
Class resentment.
Succession.
May you like
He needed the fact that a dog carried Uncle Nolan’s watch home.
That was enough truth for four.
