Excerpts from PARADOX FORGED IN BLOOD
Enjoy two short excerpts from PARADOX FORGED IN BLOOD
The murder of Louis Sheridan forever fractured time for Ellen into events characterized as “before” or “after” the homicide. Even to this day, the painful memories engulfed a surreal quality with gory details which failed to diminish or bow to the passage of time.
She realized introspection of her motives on the unfortunate December night (when Ellen was only twenty-three years old) would be fundamental in understanding her actions. She knew placing them in their proper context may dispel the uneasy sensation continuing to resonate in her life. However, to fully understand her behavior, Ellen had to examine events leading up to the Sheridan murder—including the painful memories of her brother’s abduction, the Great Depression, and frightening encounters with Nazis in America.
****
[On the night of the Sheridan murder] Ellen was filled with desperation and helplessness. She didn’t mention [to the detective] the scream she stifled as she gazed at the man who had murdered her employer and friend. With the abrupt removal of his mask, Ellen recognized him. With police sirens growing louder, the burglar had run toward the front door in a hasty retreat, but stopped momentarily as Mrs. Sheridan moaned. Hearing Ellen’s muffled gasp as she made her way down the stairs, their eyes locked for what felt like an eternity. When the murderer put his finger to pursed lips, he mouthed a threatening message that struck her heart with its chilling intention, “Shhh. I know where you live.”
Although cognizant of the price she paid with her silence, Ellen felt any other recourse would have left utter desolation in its wake. Ellen was fearful of saying too much—especially in her heightened state of anxiety. She thought it best to wait until her head was clear before she inadvertently opened the door that housed her secret and exposed her family to mortal danger.
