Color drained from his face. He tried to steady himself, fingers gripping his cane as if anchoring to something real. His eyes didn’t leave the image, even as Elise lowered the phone. His expression held a mixture of awe and grief Elise didn’t understand.
Mara whispered, “Is he okay?” Elise wasn’t sure. The veteran pressed his lips together tightly, fighting a wave of emotion that seemed to fracture his composure. She’d never seen someone respond to a photo with such intensity. It was as if the man had seen a ghost.