By six thirty, the oil lamp on the cabin dining table cast long amber shadows across four pairs of freshly shined black dress shoes on the rug.

Henry, Sam, and Lucas stood in a straight line beside the table, wearing their four matching navy blue wool coats.

The coats had cost two hundred and twenty dollars total at the Castle Rock outlet store three weeks earlier, but on the boys the dark wool sat square and spotless across their shoulders.

I moved down the line, straightening Henry’s collar and smoothing the right lapel of Sam’s jacket.

“Remember what we agreed,” I said, checking my silver wristwatch.