Tomas crossed the room first to his daughter.

He bent and kissed the sleeping baby’s forehead, and he pressed his hand briefly to Marisela’s shoulder — I’m here, you’re not alone in this — and only then did he straighten and turn to Beaufort and thank him, with grave courtesy, for agreeing to host the meeting.

Coraline let out a thin, superior little laugh.

“What is this going to be?

A lecture on manners?”

The attorney set his case on the long table, unlatched it, and answered her without heat.