“She had people over from work and Benji was pitching a fit.”

“Benji asked for a bowl of soup, Clay,” I said.

Clay yanked at the collar of his heavy thermal shirt until the top button popped off into his lap.

“She told me she panicked when the lock snapped shut.”

“The key was sitting on the kitchen counter next to the bread box,” I said.

“Those bolt cutters cost me forty-two dollars at the hardware store when your father built the shed, and it took me ten seconds to figure out she put that lock on deliberately.”

He got up from the armchair and went over to the corner window.