That silence told me something about our broader problem.

Frank was accustomed to offering help without explaining its terms.

When someone asked questions, he treated them as disloyal.

The money wasn’t proof of what happened to Toby.

But the financial records showed a pattern of control that matched the way Frank was handling the incident.

He wanted Isabelle to accept his version.

He wanted Kyle to keep the story simple.

He wanted me to stop asking questions.