His thumb moved twice, slowly, then went still.

On the level below us a garage door rattled up, and a car took the ramp with its tires squealing on the turn.

“She told me you had the kids,” he said.

“She swore it to me on her life.”

“She swore to me she was taking them up to a cabin in the mountains for a week to get them away from screens.”

Julian took two steps away and came back.