His words dropped into the driveway, flat and final, leaving no room for argument.

Linda froze, her hand still buried in her right pocket.

“Richard, you don’t know what happened in there this morning.”

“I know what I’m looking at right now,” Richard said quietly, stepping down onto the bottom porch stair.

“Give her the keys.”

“This is about showing respect in this house,” Linda said, her voice wavering slightly as her husband kept his eyes locked on hers.

“The issue isn’t respect,” Ethan said, stepping closer to his mother.