“What is this, Miller?” I asked.

“Emergency temporary injunction,” he said, unclipping three stapled sheets and handing them to me.

“Filed under Case 4238B.”

I took the sheets with my right hand and looked at the red ink seal pressed into the top margin.

“He filed the motion at seven fifteen this morning,” Miller said, looking past my shoulder toward the barn.

“Claims hazardous structural conditions and contested property preservation.”

Across the gravel drive, my father adjusted his gold watch band against his coat cuff and looked off toward the river marsh.