“Thank you so much, Margaret.”

“Only pack what you need for today,” she added.

“We’ll deal with the rest of your belongings through an official corporate inventory.”

I laid the phone on the bed, shut the suitcase lid and ran the metal zipper around three sides.

I went back into the kitchen, picked up my ring of brass house keys and laid them gently on top of Brandon’s yellow pad.

I took my heavy dark coat out of the hall closet and walked out onto the porch steps.