“Yes, sir.” George’s black complexion had taken on a rosy hue—like a Bing cherry. “Philip and Inez was supposed to be out Christmas shopping. But Philip came home early ’cause he wasn’t feeling well. He caught them, he did. Ezekial…he threw himself on his son’s mercy. Philip was a spoiled child, but he was no monster. He forgave his father and promised he wouldn’t say nothing to his mama. Of course, he wanted to end it with Dolly Sue. But a month later she told him she was in the family way.”

Silence.

George said, “No one knows who the real papa is, sir. They both had her, so it could have been either one. Inez…she never did find out. And Philip…he tried, sir. He tried to make it work. But the woman wouldn’t quit her flirty ways. When she had the second baby, Philip had suspicions. The baby was much too dark.”

“The baby was too dark?”

“Yes, sir. Philip wasn’t dark because his mama wasn’t black. She was Mexican. And Dolly Sue was white. The baby was like pitch coal. Even so, Philip tried, sir. For four years, he let that little mongrel call him Papa. But in the end it was too much for him. He made the mother put the baby up for adoption.”

Decker licked his lips. “Did she do it?”

“Yes, sir, she did. She didn’t want to lose Philip, and she didn’t want to lose Darrell. She was nothing and had nothing without them. So she put the baby up for adoption.”

“She actually put her own child, whom she had raised for four years, up for adoption.”

“Yes, sir.” George shook his head. “It was sad, sir. I felt sorry for the woman, but she had it coming. She had no right bringing a bastard into the house and pawning it off to be Mr. Philip’s. The one I really felt terrible for was Darrell. That little boy was Darrell’s brother. It broke his heart to see him go.”

Decker tried to keep anger out of his voice. “I would imagine that would be traumatic.”

“It wasn’t that Philip didn’t try.”

“Just a rotten situation,” Decker said, attempting to ease the old man’s guilt.

“Exactly, sir.” Another sigh. “And even that didn’t work. She still wouldn’t quit her flirty ways. So finally, Philip kicked her out. Gave her some money on the condition that she just pack up and leave. Darrell was ten. But even at ten, the boy cried a mountain of tears. Mr. Holt, he couldn’t take it. He brought me from his pappy’s home to take care of Darrell. I was the one who held the child at night.”

“And even with everything, he kept Darrell. Why?”