I looked at the ring one more time.

Patrick had chosen three harsh words when a direct call could have chosen many honest ones.

The message had reached me.

But it had arrived too late for me to ask him why he had allowed the silence to last so long.

PART 6 — What the Ring Could Tell Me

We did not finish everything in one conversation.

Samantha found the receipt while I remained at the table.

She brought the documents associated with the local arrangements and identified where Patrick’s belongings had been kept.