The news hit Lyse like a physical blow. She had been scrolling through websites,still trying to figure out what had really been happening in her life, when she saw the headline: "Jeff Dubois Dies in Prison." The accompanying photo was a barely recognizable, grainy image of her father, clothed in a prison jumpsuit, his face etched with weariness and regret.
A cold dread washed over her. She clicked on the article, her heart pounding in her chest. The details were sparse, but the message was clear: her father was dead. According to the article, he had been attacked by fellow inmates and had succumbed to his injuries while on his way to the hospital.
Lyse's breath caught in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. She could not believe it. Her father, even though the man had always been a distant presence in her life, and whom she had never really had a connection with was gone.
