Chapter 19
Bruce awoke before dawn, his shirt damp against his back. The image from last night lingered in his mind like a ghost etched into glass. A photo. Not just a text, but a photo. Ella’s hair falling against her cheek, that half-smile that always seemed on the edge of laughter or accusation. His hand trembled as he reached for the phone on his nightstand, unlocking it once more to be certain it was not just a dream.
The picture glowed in the dim light. He zoomed in, scanning every detail. The lines of her face. The angle of the light. Was it new, or something from the past dredged up to torment him? He could not tell. But if someone had this photo, if someone could send it, then Ella might not be gone.
His chest tightened. He had mourned her, buried her in the private spaces of h
