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for work, his usual kiss on m

is eyes shadowed. He

o

l I heard his

pt it in his study, a relic

go, that it held old case fi

at, organized, l

p was on

ord-protecte

is badge number, our annive

k to the conversa

ssion. V

significant to

birt

nvitation Mark had left behind year

rembled as I

s gra

ath hi

red with old icons. I

artition. Also pa

er birthd

ope

mmered agai

. Dates

tled "Millers_Bakery_

ed documents,

cial cold case file;

ssed e

across the street from the bak

r face obscured by shadows, lingering ne

her build... it l

s, meticulou

ms to be at a charity gala, but left

eatening to expose V's father

ollowed up) saw V arguing heated

He knew a

led the evid

ied it. Marked the

so hard I could bare

I s

older, simpl

lic

photos of Ve

ures, newspaper clipping

the fami

, Mark, their pare

ng, h

woman had clearly been prese

the edge of

e

, at Carter family gatherings. My f

by his

; I was an inconvenience to be managed, and e

protect her; he

a small, encrypted USB drive. Every

his betraya

ve, or even a twisted sense

l the narrative, to ensure I never got

precious V

of supposed healing, had bee

me every night was not m

other of

was a bi