“He was ashamed.

Of the deed, of his wife, of the year he sat in that room while you counted days off a wall.”

“I thought he believed her.

I thought he decided I did it and let them take me.” My jaw had gone tight, and I had to work the words loose.

“That’s three years of my life I spent being a man nobody believed.”

Arthur pulled into the motel lot and shut off the engine.