“Helen.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and said the words my mistake out loud in a room full of people.”

I put the cracked mug back in the box.

“Richard called my office on Friday,” he said.

“He’s staying at his brother’s place in Quincy.

He wanted the name of a lawyer who doesn’t know your mother.”

I smoothed the newspaper with the flat of my hand.

“And what about Julian?”