It wasn’t a question.

She said it to the carpet.

Patricia stopped mid-sentence.

Arthur got to his wife before I did.

He got both hands on her shoulders and put her into the armchair, and she went down into it like her legs had been taken away, and he crouched in front of her and said, “Breathe.

Wendy.

Look at me and breathe.”

And Chloe was standing in my open front doorway.