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Authors: Dale Allan
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sorry, Father. I read the papers when people leave them on the benches. Sometimes I’m a day or two behind on the news, but I try to stay informed.”
Luke smiled and waved as he turned again to walk to the car. Then the man said something that made him stop dead. “One of the guys who lives here in the park says he knows who did it.”
Luke froze. “What?”
The man looked down. “Well, he says he does. And he says the police are never going to figure it out.”
“Where’s this man?”
“I can’t say. He’s a recluse, and like most people who live here, sometimes he’s full of shit.” Remembering that he was talking to a priest, the man quickly apologized. “Sorry, Father, I didn’t mean to curse in front of you.”
“Believe me, I’ve heard worse. Do you think this guy would talk to me?”
“I don’t know, but I can ask.”
“Let’s find him now. Where do we look?”
“Nah, we won’t find him now. He said he wouldn’t be around for a few days. But I promise I’ll keep looking for him.”
Luke quickly jotted down his name, address, and phone number on a piece of paper.
“Please, you have to convince this man to talk to me. It’s extremely important.”
Feeling a need to tell Luke his story, the gray-haired man stepped forward and introduced himself. “I’m John Daly. I’ve been living in the park for about a year. I was laid off from my job and lost my house. My wife was a realtor, but she hasn’t sold a house for over a year, so when she and the kids went back to live with her parents, I just couldn’t go with them. I’m too ashamed. So I live here now. I guess you’ve heard it all before, Father.” When the man saw Luke reach into his pocket for some money, he said, “No, that’s OK. I’ve been unloading crates at the docks and hope to have a full-time job soon.”
Thinking quickly for a way to make sure that the man would follow up on the lead, Luke asked, “John, if I come back here in two days with another coat, could I trade with you? That one belonged to my brother, and I would like to keep it for sentimental reasons.” John immediately started to remove the coat, but Luke convinced him to keep it, promising to return in two days with another one. After saying good-bye, Luke blessed him and walked away.
Returning home, Luke quietly put his key into the back-door lock, opened it, and silently made his way down the hallway. When he entered his room, he took the gun out of his waistband and once again stared at it with disbelief. Why in the world did Aaron have a gun, and why was it hidden downstairs? Unsure of what to do with it, he finally decided to hide it on a top shelf in the closet under some shirts,hoping that there was no way the kids could get to it. He washed up and climbed into bed, but instead of sleeping, he twisted and turned all night while wondering if the homeless man could really tell him what happened.
LUKE WOKE AT FIRST light, anxious to meet with Ablaa Raboud’s sister in a few hours. Sticking to his morning routine, he started his day with prayers and a workout. After a quick shower, he joined his family in the sunroom as breakfast was being served.
Both children sat on his lap as he ate. He felt encouraged for the first time in a long time. He was finally doing something meaningful to figure out what happened to his brother, and maybe he was actually making progress.
After eating, he said good-bye and walked out the kitchen door. Before he entered the woods, he looked back and saw Deborah kneeling with the children at the full-length window, watching him walk away. When they saw Luke turn, Alessa began blowing kisses and Abel did the same.
Luke drove to Jamilah’s neighborhood and parked the Mercedes a few blocks away from her apartment building. He walked through the front entry and knocked on the door for apartment 1C. He saw someone look through the peephole. The door was opened by an attractive young lady dressed in blue jeans
Luke smiled and waved as he turned again to walk to the car. Then the man said something that made him stop dead. “One of the guys who lives here in the park says he knows who did it.”
Luke froze. “What?”
The man looked down. “Well, he says he does. And he says the police are never going to figure it out.”
“Where’s this man?”
“I can’t say. He’s a recluse, and like most people who live here, sometimes he’s full of shit.” Remembering that he was talking to a priest, the man quickly apologized. “Sorry, Father, I didn’t mean to curse in front of you.”
“Believe me, I’ve heard worse. Do you think this guy would talk to me?”
“I don’t know, but I can ask.”
“Let’s find him now. Where do we look?”
“Nah, we won’t find him now. He said he wouldn’t be around for a few days. But I promise I’ll keep looking for him.”
Luke quickly jotted down his name, address, and phone number on a piece of paper.
“Please, you have to convince this man to talk to me. It’s extremely important.”
Feeling a need to tell Luke his story, the gray-haired man stepped forward and introduced himself. “I’m John Daly. I’ve been living in the park for about a year. I was laid off from my job and lost my house. My wife was a realtor, but she hasn’t sold a house for over a year, so when she and the kids went back to live with her parents, I just couldn’t go with them. I’m too ashamed. So I live here now. I guess you’ve heard it all before, Father.” When the man saw Luke reach into his pocket for some money, he said, “No, that’s OK. I’ve been unloading crates at the docks and hope to have a full-time job soon.”
Thinking quickly for a way to make sure that the man would follow up on the lead, Luke asked, “John, if I come back here in two days with another coat, could I trade with you? That one belonged to my brother, and I would like to keep it for sentimental reasons.” John immediately started to remove the coat, but Luke convinced him to keep it, promising to return in two days with another one. After saying good-bye, Luke blessed him and walked away.
Returning home, Luke quietly put his key into the back-door lock, opened it, and silently made his way down the hallway. When he entered his room, he took the gun out of his waistband and once again stared at it with disbelief. Why in the world did Aaron have a gun, and why was it hidden downstairs? Unsure of what to do with it, he finally decided to hide it on a top shelf in the closet under some shirts,hoping that there was no way the kids could get to it. He washed up and climbed into bed, but instead of sleeping, he twisted and turned all night while wondering if the homeless man could really tell him what happened.
LUKE WOKE AT FIRST light, anxious to meet with Ablaa Raboud’s sister in a few hours. Sticking to his morning routine, he started his day with prayers and a workout. After a quick shower, he joined his family in the sunroom as breakfast was being served.
Both children sat on his lap as he ate. He felt encouraged for the first time in a long time. He was finally doing something meaningful to figure out what happened to his brother, and maybe he was actually making progress.
After eating, he said good-bye and walked out the kitchen door. Before he entered the woods, he looked back and saw Deborah kneeling with the children at the full-length window, watching him walk away. When they saw Luke turn, Alessa began blowing kisses and Abel did the same.
Luke drove to Jamilah’s neighborhood and parked the Mercedes a few blocks away from her apartment building. He walked through the front entry and knocked on the door for apartment 1C. He saw someone look through the peephole. The door was opened by an attractive young lady dressed in blue jeans
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