“The roof trusses are glued at forty-five degrees,” Ellis said, holding the wooden model out toward Caroline with both hands.

“It holds five pounds without bending,” Ellis added, setting a two-pound iron paperweight on top of the small roof beam to show its strength.

Caroline took the tiny wooden building in her hands, testing the solid pine roof frame with her thumbs.

“Where did you learn to brace a roof frame like that, Ellis?” Caroline asked.

“From the old sketches in your desk drawer,” Ellis said.

“The ones from the Elmwood Avenue flat.”