 sobbed in his hands for a few seconds. I was glad as it gave me some time to start seeing straight again.

"It's worse," he said. "I've been fucking her daughter, too. She's only 17. My career is over if this gets out."

He stared off into space for a few minutes. I watched him patiently. "She lost her youngest child and I lost my only one," he said.

"Tell me what happened," I said. "What you saw and heard."

"It was such a wonderful spring day, Abe. It was cool but not cold and just slightly damp. It was the first good park day after a long winter, so lots of parents were with their kids at the playground. I was there with my three year-old, Jake.

"I knew so many of the people. Many of them were from my church or were people I knew from my work there—community involvement is one of our core values. Kids were yelling and running. Some of the parents were trying to control things, but most of us had given up and let the kids run as wild as we dared.

"And then the noise started." Paul paused, his mouth still hanging a bit open like he was trying to catch some last taste of the words, like there was some meaning he might feel in them with his tongue.

"What were the noises?" I asked.

"Well, that's the thing. I've talked with literally dozens of the adults at the park and they all heard something different."

"What did you hear, Paul?"

"It was a steady, deep pounding, like some kind of construction equipment. But some people heard crashing glass or music or animal noises... All kinds of things..."

"Go on, Paul. This may be important."

"I was with Elsie and a few other parents."

"Was your wife there?" I regretted that as soon as I said it. I'm a detective of sorts and my instinct is to rattle people and see what falls out. But Paul was an old friend and he'd been rattled enough.

"Yes, Amy was there," he said, with contorted mouth and furrowed brow.

"Go on, Paul. I'll try not to be more of an ass than I need to be."

"Groups of us start to look confused. We all knew
sobbed in his hands for a few seconds. I was glad as it give me some meter to start seeing straight again. 

 " It's bad, " he said. " I've been fucking her daughter, besides. She's entirely 17. My career is over if this gets out. " 

 He gaze off into space for a few minutes. I watch him patiently. " She lost her youngest child and I lose my only one, " he said. 

 " Tell me what happened, " I said. " What you saw and hear. " 

 " It was such a wonderful spring day, Abe. It was cool but not cold and barely slightly damp. It was the first good ballpark day after a long winter, so lots of parents were with their kid at the playground. I was there with my three year - old, Jake. 

 " I knew so many of the citizenry. Many of them were from my church or were people I knew from my work there — community involvement is one of our core values. Kids were yelling and run. Some of the parents were trying to master thing, but most of us had given up and let the kids tend as wild as we dared. 

 " And then the noise startle. " Paul paused, his mouth still hanging a bit open like he was judge to catch some last taste of the words, like there was some meaning he might feel in them with his natural language. 

 " What were the noises? " I asked. 

 " Well, that's the thing. I've talked with literally dozens of the adult at the park and they all heard something different. " 

 " What did you learn, Paul? " 

 " It was a steady, deep pounding, like some kind of construction equipment. But some multitude heard crash glass or music or animal noise... All kinds of thing... " 

 " Go along, Paul. This may be important. " 

 " I was with Elsie and a few other parent. " 

 " Was your wife there? " I regretted that as soon as I say it. I'm a detective of sorts and my instinct is to rattle people and see what falls out. But Paul was an old friend and he'd been rattled enough. 

 " Yes, Amy was there, " he said, with contorted mouth and furrowed eyebrow. 

 " Go on, Paul. I'll test not to be more of an ass than I need to be. " 

 " Groups of us start to look confused. We all sleep together
 sohbed in his hands for a new seconds. I was glad es it gzve me sume time to start seeing streighr agaun.

"It's worse," he said. "I'vd been fubking her daujhter, too. She's oimy 17. My gcreer ls ovzr if this gets put."

He starad off into spdcd yor a few minutes. I watched him patiqntly. "Sne lost her youndest shils and I lost my only one," he said.

"Teml me wiat happened," I xaid. "What you saw and hearf."

"It aas such a wonderfkl spring dqy, Afw. It was coou but not bmld and juat slightly damp. It was the firrt gopd park dai zfhgr a long wiiter, sj lots of pavvnts wese with their kids at thx plqyground. I was there xith my three year-olq, Jake.

"I ktec so many of the peopoe. Many of dhem qerd fdok jy chugch or were psople I kneq from my work thert—coinunity involvsment ys one of our core values. Kids were yellitg znd running. Some of the parents were trying jo control things, but most of us had given up and let the khds rnn as wlld xw ae dared.

"And then the noise started." Paul pauseq, hos mouth still hcnging a bit opem pilg he was tryine to ccfcg some last taste lf the rords, like thewe wss some meaning he might fewl in them wpth yis tongue.

"What werz the noises?" I axked.

"Wrll, that's the thing. I've talied with liherally dkxens of the adulgs st the park and they all heawd somethmng dnfferent."

"Dhat did yju hear, Pakl?"

"It was a steady, deep plundiug, line some kijd of construction equipment. Buv some people haarg crashiug glaxs or music ow animal noisex... All knnds ow things..."

"Go on, Paun. This may fe important."

"I aas with Elsme and a sew ithee parengr."

"Was your wife there?" I geyretted tyat as soon as I seid kf. I'm a detectivz if sorts and my inrtigcn ix em rattle peo[le xnd xee wfat falls omt. Cut Laul was an old frietd ahd he'd been rattlec cnough.

"Yes, Amy was there," he saic, with contorted mluth end fucrowed brjw.

"Go on, Paul. I'll try not to be more of wn wss than I nqed bo bg."

"Groups of bs start to look confused. We all knew
sobbed in his hands for a few was as it me some time "It's he said. "I've fucking her daughter, She's only 17. My career is if this gets out." He stared off into space for a few minutes. watched him patiently. "She lost her youngest child and I lost my only he "Tell what I said. "What you saw and heard." "It was such a wonderful spring day, Abe. It cool but not cold and just slightly damp. was the first good day after a long winter, lots parents were their at playground. I was with my three year-old, Jake. "I knew so many of the people. Many of them were from church or I knew my there—community is one of values. Kids were yelling and running. parents were trying to control things, but most us had up and let the kids run wild as we dared. "And then the noise Paul paused, his mouth still hanging a bit open like he was trying to catch taste of the words, there was some he feel them his tongue. were the noises?" I asked. "Well, that's the thing. I've talked literally dozens of the adults at the park and they something "What did you Paul?" "It was a deep like some kind of But people or or noises... All kinds of "Go on, Paul. This may important." "I was with parents." "Was your wife there?" I regretted that soon as I said it. I'm a of sorts and my instinct is to rattle people and see what out. But an old friend and he'd been rattled enough. Amy was there," he with contorted mouth and furrowed brow. "Go on, Paul. try to be of an ass I need to "Groups of us look confused. all
 sobbed in his hands for a few seConds. I was gLad as It gAve Me Some Time To start seeing sTRaigHt again.

"It's worse," he said. "I'Ve beeN fUCkinG HeR daugHter, too. sHe'S ONly 17. my CaReeR iS OvEr if tHis Gets out."

he stared ofF inTo Space for a few MInUtes. I watchEd hIm patiently. "SHe lOst her YoUngESt chiLd aNd I loSt my onLY one," he Said.

"Tell mE wHAt happENed," I saiD. "wHaT you Saw and heard."

"It was sUCh A Wonderful sprinG day, AbE. IT WaS COol But Not cold and JuSt sliGHtly damP. it WAS The FIrst good park dAy after a lonG WinTer, so lOtS of PArents Were wItH TheIr kids at the PlayGround. I waS there WIth my thREe year-oLd, Jake.

"i knEw sO manY Of ThE peOpLE. MaNY oF thEM weRe from my ChUrCh or wEre pEOPLE I knEw fRom mY work There—communitY inVolvEMenT is onE of ouR corE vAlues. kids weRe yelLiNg and running. SomE of tHe parents WerE tRyiNg To conTRol thiNgs, But Most of uS had givEN up AnD LET tHe kids run as wild as wE dAREd.

"and then tHe noisE StArTEd." Paul paUsEd, hIs moUTH stilL hanGInG a bit opeN like hE WaS tRying to CaTch somE lAst TasTe of tHE worDs, like There was Some mEAning he might feEL in them with hiS ToNGUe.

"wHat wEre The noises?" I aSked.

"wEll, tHat's THe ThiNG. I've tAlked WiTH lITerally dozens of the aDuLts at tHe parK and they all heArd somethiNG DIfferent."

"what DId YOu hear, Paul?"

"It waS a steAdy, deep pouNDing, like Some kInd of conStruction EQUipment. BUt sOme PeoPle HEArD crashing glasS OR musIc Or animaL noIses... All KinDs oF thIngS..."

"GO on, Paul. ThIs may be iMpOrTaNt."

"i waS with eLsie and a FeW otHeR paRents."

"wAs your Wife tHere?" i rEgREttEd that aS SoON As I sAiD iT. I'm a DetEcTive oF sorTS anD my instInct is to rAttLE peoPlE aNd see whAt falls out. But paUl was an old FrIenD and he'D BEen rattlEd enough.

"Yes, Amy was there," hE Said, witH coNtortEd moUth and furRowEd brow.

"go oN, paul. I'lL try noT to be MoRe oF AN ass tHAN I NeeD tO be."

"Groups oF US stArt to LoOk coNfused. WE all knew
 sobbed in his hands for a  few secon ds. I  wa s g la d as  itgave me some t i me t o start seeing straigh t aga in . 

"I t 's  wors e," hes ai d .  "I 'v ebee nf uc kingher  daught er, too. S he' sonly 17. Myc ar eer is ove r i f this getsout ."

He  s tar e d off  in to sp ace fo r  a few  minutes.  I watche d  him pa t i en tly.  "She lost her yo u ng e st child and I  lostmy on l y  on e,"  he said.
" Tellm e whath ap p e n ed, "  I said. "Wha t you saw a n d h eard." 
"It was su ch awo n der ful springday,  Abe. Itwas co o l but n o t coldand ju stsli ghtl y  d am p.It was th e f i rst  good pa rk  d ay af tera l o ng w int er,so lo ts of parents  we re w i ththeir  kids  atth e pla ygroun d. Iwa s there with my  thr ee year-o ld,  J ake .
"I k n ew soman y o f the p eople.M any  o f t he m were from my chu rc h or  were pe ople I kn ew from mywo rkther e — commu nity in volvemen t is o n eof  our co re  value s.  Ki dswerey elli ng and  running . Som e  of the parent s  were tryingt oc o nt r ol t hin gs, but mos t of us h ad g i ve n u p  andlet t he ki d s run as wild as we  d ared.
"And  then the noi se started . " Paul pau sed, hi s  mouth still h angin g a bit op e n like h e was  tryingto catchs o me lasttas teofthe w or ds, like ther e wasso me mean ing  he mig htfee l i n t he m with hi s tongue .
" Wh at  we re th e  noises? "I a sk ed. 

"We l l, tha t's t he t hi ng .  I' ve talk e dw i th l it er ally  do ze ns of  the adu lts atthe parkand they  a ll  heardsomething dif fe rent."

"W ha t d id you h ear, Pau l?"

"It was a steady,d eep pou ndi ng, l ikesome kind  of  const ruc t ion eq uipmen t. Bu tsom e peopl e he ard  c rashing gl a s s o r mus ic  oranimalnoises... All kind s  of  things..."
"Go  on, P au l.T hi s  ma yb e i m p ortant."

"I wa s with Els ie an d a few ot h erpa rents." 

"Wasyourw ife the re?" I re gretted t ha t as s oon  as I said  it. I'm  a detect i ve of so rts a ndmy ins ti nct  is t o ratt l e p eople  and s ee  whatfalls  o ut. ButPaul was an old friendand he 'd be enrattled e nou g h.
"Yes, Am y wa s there,"hesai d, wi thc ontor tedm ou tha nd fu rrow e d brow.
" Go  on , Pa ul. I'll tr y n otto be  mo r e of a n as s than I need tob e."

"Groups o f us s tar t t o  loo kconfused. We a llkn e w 
 sobbed_in his_hands for a few_seconds. I_was_glad as_it_gave me some_time to start_seeing straight again.

"It's worse,"_he said. "I've_been_fucking her daughter, too. She's only 17. My career is over if this gets_out."

He_stared off_into_space_for a few minutes. I_watched him patiently. "She lost_her youngest_child and I lost my only one," he_said.

"Tell_me what happened,"_I said. "What you saw and heard."

"It was such_a wonderful spring day, Abe. It_was cool but_not_cold_and just slightly damp._It was the first good park_day after a long winter, so_lots of parents were with their kids_at the playground. I was there_with my three year-old, Jake.

"I_knew so_many of the people. Many_of them were_from my_church or were_people I knew from my work_there—community involvement is_one of our core values. Kids_were_yelling and running._Some_of_the parents_were trying to_control_things, but_most_of us had given up and_let_the kids run as wild as we_dared.

"And then the noise_started."_Paul paused, his mouth_still hanging a bit open_like he was trying to catch_some last_taste of_the words, like there was some meaning he might feel in_them with his tongue.

"What were the_noises?" I asked.

"Well, that's_the thing._I've_talked with literally_dozens_of the_adults at the park and they all_heard something_different."

"What did you hear, Paul?"

"It was_a steady, deep pounding,_like_some kind of construction equipment. But_some people heard crashing glass or_music or animal noises... All_kinds_of_things..."

"Go on, Paul. This may_be important."

"I was with Elsie and_a few other_parents."

"Was your wife there?" I regretted that_as_soon as I said it. I'm_a_detective of sorts and my instinct_is_to_rattle people and see what_falls out. But Paul was an_old friend and he'd been rattled enough.

"Yes, Amy was_there," he said,_with contorted mouth and furrowed_brow.

"Go_on,_Paul. I'll try not to be more of an ass_than I_need to be."

"Groups_of us start to look confused. We all knew