Others asked questions he did not want to answer.

I heard about it from Paige, who was learning to keep her conversations with him limited and clear.

“He says you ruined his reputation,” she told me.

“I didn’t tell anyone lies about him.”

“I know.”

Gordon sent me a long email beginning with the words after everything we built together.

For the first time, I read the entire message without doubting myself.

It listed his sacrifices, his disappointments, and his belief that he deserved a second chance at the condo’s proceeds.