Chapter 22: Chapter 22

“Yeah?” Emil said, hoping this wasn’t what he thought it would be.

Dad looked tired, he was just off shift, so it made sense, but there was a weariness in his eyes too.

“Hey, son.” He stepped in but then leaned back on the doorframe, as if hoping it would help prop him up.

“Rough day?”

“Yeah. Frank and Lizzie again.” Dad sighed and rubbed a hand over his face

“She didn’t press charges this time, either?”

“No, and it was just a noise complaint, but everyone could see something had been going on.”

Emil hummed. Everyone in town knew Frankie liked to beat his wife, but nobody ever caught him doing it, and she didn’t talk about it. Not even when she had to have a broken arm set a couple of years ago. She’d told everyone she’d fallen down the porch steps at their house. Fallen, maybe. But how?