A Week After We Moved Into the House, the Former Owner Called Me and Said, “Don’t Mention This to Your Husband. Come by Yourself.”

insisted on. The half-unpacked boxes. The conversations that always seemed to pause when I entered the room. The way Linda seemed to understand details before I did.

I didn’t confront them. I didn’t raise my voice. I didn’t ask what was going on.

I set the folder down and reached for my keys.

“I’m going to run to the store,” I said.

Daniel frowned. “We continue reading …