“Arthur was asking about you yesterday,” Evelyn said.

“He wanted to know if you’d said anything about his job rosters.”

“I haven’t talked to Arthur since Christmas Eve,” Nathaniel said.

“Keep it that way,” Evelyn said softly.

“My brother doesn’t like people checking his balance sheets.”

Nathaniel walked around the corner of the building and pushed through the heavy front doors, the brass bell above the glass chiming twice as he stepped onto the vinyl tile floor.

Martha Miller sat in the corner booth with Daisy, a yellow paper placemat spread between two small glass water cups.