“You abandoned your brother,” Richard said.

“And now that there’s money on the table, you come crawling back hiding behind military authority.”

He turned and headed for the French doors that opened onto the front lawn.

“We’re done talking in here.”

I followed him out onto the stone porch.

The autumn air was sharp and damp, carrying the smell of wet pine needles and the soaked cedar shingles of the old garage.

Two lawn workers were unloading leaf blowers from a red pickup parked at the curb, and Mrs.