“Just keep out of the way,” George muttered over his shoulder.

He took a heavy brass key from his pocket and unlocked the huge wooden front door without saying anything else.

At seven that evening, the farmhouse living room was completely quiet.

I sat in my favorite upholstered armchair and watched the sun sink behind the faraway tree line.

My cell phone lit up on the mahogany side table.

The screen showed that my son was calling.

I picked it up and pressed the green button.