He turned around and went back into the bedroom, and I followed.

The overhead light was on in there, the big one, at two in the morning, and it made the room look like a photo taken after everybody had gone.

Half the closet was empty.

Drawers hung open.

Elsie lay on the bare mattress in shorts and a single sock, curled on her side, her hair plastered to her cheek.

“Elsie. Sweetheart.”

I laid my hand on her shoulder.