Every House Has a Secret – 29

 

 

After a long pause, the man said, "I'm the George Hodges you're looking for. I'm not certain I want the photos, if that's what you're asking. I don't know if you're aware of it, but my father was thrown off the police force after he nearly killed a man he was arresting. At that point, my grandparents gained custody of me and my brother and I never saw my father again."

 

"I do know about what happened, and about your mother's murder. I'm sorry. I know talking about it must be painful."

 

"At one time it was," George replied. "Now it's past history although I don't like being reminded of it, which is why I don't think I want to see the pictures."

 

"If you don't, perhaps your sons would. I'd be willing to send them copies if it's all right with you. Do they know what happened?"

 

George sighed. "They do. Their great-grandfather, Ethan, told them, much against my wishes, the last time he visited us before his death. They were too young to understand, but he insisted they had to know."

 

"I suppose in his eyes, it was a necessary part of their family history. Personally, I can see why you objected. How did they react?"

 

"At the time it seemed like a fairytale to them, I think. But they did remember and when they were older they asked me about it. I told them the truth because I had no love for my father. Ethan drummed it out of me. My boys were more forgiving, but then they'd grown up in the age of action movies so what he did wasn't, well I guess shocking is the best word for it. They did want to know if their grandmother's killers had been caught. All I knew was the fact the police believed they'd been killed by other members of the gang they were in. That seemed to satisfy them." He chuckled wryly. "Justice served, I suppose."

 

"Undoubtedly. Do you think they might like the photos, or copies of them? One of them shows your mother, although only in profile."

 

"You can call and ask. Do you have a pen and paper?" When Brady said he did, George gave him the phone numbers.

 

"Thank you for talking with me," Brady said.

 

"You're welcome. I will admit your call came out of right field. I thought any interest in what happened was long dead."

 

"I hope talking about it didn't upset you."

 

"No," George replied. "As I told you, I learned a long time ago to live with it. Dwelling on it won't bring my mother back, or change what my father did. I suspect it's why Ethan took us in and kept my father away from us. I think in one part of his mind, he blamed my father for what happened to Mom. He wasn't there when the burglars broke in because he was working late on a case. Something he did a lot, from what I remember."

 

"One of the drawbacks to being married to a cop," Brady replied.

 

"Or any other professional who puts the job over family."

 

"Very true," Brady agreed. "All right, I'll let you go. Again, thanks for talking with me."

 

            "You're welcome."