Walt stood in the narrow carpeted entryway with a red plastic cup in his hand.

He was talking loudly to Luke’s cousin Mark about corn prices.

Walt looked up and saw us standing together in the doorway.

His mouth closed into a hard, flat line.

The booming laughter stopped instantly.

Mark took a slow, nervous step back into the hallway.

“Smells like you brought the ham,” Mark said.

“Dana asked for one,” Luke said.