been renting my cottage to repay them while quietly exploring the sale of my property to finish the job.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” Patricia whispered.
“No,” I said. “It was supposed to happen quietly.”
Later that night, Bradley called.
“Mom, I need to see you alone.”
He arrived after dark.
We sat on the porch.
For a long time, neither of us spoke.
Then he said,
“There’s something you don’t know.”
“I’m getting tired of that sentence.”
“This started before Ashley.”
My heart tightened.
“What started before
