Sold on a Monday

Jim arrives at the jail, angry. His only words for Ellis are: “It’s done” (248). Ellis realizes that his father is still hurt, so he explains that he is different from the reporters at the mine. When Jim asks why he needed the bail then, Ellis apologizes for the fact that his father “lost the wrong son” when his brother died (251). Jim tells him to get in the truck.

Jim then shares with Ellis what happened the day his brother died. The mine shaft collapsed and it took 30 hours to get the men out. Minutes after he came home, Ellis broke his arm. Then, after Jim had drifted to sleep, Myrna was yelling that Henry was not breathing. Jim was resting close to Henry. If only he had “looked in on him, just once…” (252), he might have saved his son.

Ellis tells Jim about the Dillards. When Jim asks what he will do, Ellis says he will keep going until the children are safe. Jim expresses his faith in him. When they arrive at Ellis’s car, Ellis extends his hand to his father like “an equal” (253). Jim offers his help if Ellis needs it.

At work, Lily calls to tell him that Calvin is in an orphanage in Clover, two hours from Hoboken. Although Walker will soon learn of his arrest, Ellis refuses a big scoop from Dutch and leaves to meet Lily in Clover.

But his car will not start. A man offers him a ride in a black Packard. He says no thanks, but when the second arrives and shows his pistol, Ellis gets into the back of the car, happy that he is not traveling in the trunk.

Lily is waiting for Ellis to pick her up at the bus station. She decides to get directions and walk to the Warren County Home for Children. At the home she is met by Mildred, a staff member, who asks if she is there to see Mr. Lowell. Lily tells her she is there to pick up a child and will speak to Mr. Lowell. Lily notices that the bolts on the door meant to secure the children were “equally suited for a prison” (260).

Lily passes classrooms and a play area before she enters Lowell’s office. He apologizes for his appearance, noting that they usually meet by appointment. Lily explains that she is there for Calvin. Lowell is familiar with the boy, but Calvin was already placed. Lily describes Geraldine’s position, but Lowell responds that it is a common problem. Lily tells Lowell that Geraldine was sick, and asks if he could make an exception. His response is terse: he does not “ascribe to exceptions,” nor should anyone with “strong moral fiber” (263). Lily notices the file on the desk. And although she is asked to leave with Mildred, she decides to come later and get the file. 

Ellis is in the car with the “Mafia types up front” driving him to an unknown destination (265). He decides to stay in his reporter identity to avoid panic. Since Sylvia did not give a deadline for charging him, he is wondering if they decided to kill him instead.

They arrive at an alley. Ellis gets out and is pushed up some stairs into a dark hall, the supper club where he took his parents. He tells them to go ahead and kill him, then Max Trevino tells him, “Have a seat, kid” (267).

Max knows Ellis’s stories, but he is not interested in discussing the problems his expose of Max’s politicians caused him. Max wants to discuss family; specifically, his sister Sylvia.

Ellis explains to Max that his intentions are good. He then recounts the whole story about the Millstones and the children sold on a Monday. When Max asks what Ellis knows about his sister, Ellis tells him about Sylvia’s “growing signs of delusion” and the endless punishments Ruby has had to endure because she is not Victoria (270). Max decides he will do what is best for his family and orders Ellis to meet him at Sylvia’s at 8:00 am the next morning to give him the children. 

When Ellis finally arrives to meet Lily at the café, he learns from Lily that Calvin was adopted. Lily knows how to find him and explains her plan to take the file after dark, and Ellis agrees to help.

To take their minds off their mission, Lily asks Ellis to finish his childhood story. They decide to talk on the way to the orphanage. Ellis parks the car down the street, then tells her about the day’s adventures and that he and his father are on better terms. Lily asks if he is afraid of Sylvia, and suggests that since he is already charged with offenses it would be best for him to leave. He assures her that they are doing the right thing, but he refrains from any romantic gestures. 

He suggests to Lily that if they get the information, she might have a shot at a column, so she shares her own news about the column and that Clayton asked her to marry him. Ellis acts happy for her, but the tension rises between them. But finally, the lights finally go out at the orphanage and they can get the file.