“Frank, that down payment came out of your store.”

Frank said nothing.

He sat with his back straight and his napkin in his lap and looked at his son.

“Frank,” she said.

“He’ll sign it,” Frank said.

Julian looked at his mother, then at Ruth, then at the photographs still spread out on the tray in the candlelight.

Upstairs, the baby monitor on the sideboard crackled once.

Maya, three weeks old, made a small sound and settled again.