“I have been so grateful for your family. It was hard when Peter and I came here—we wanted a fresh start and you welcomed us.” For a moment he stops. “I don’t want to believe it of you. Either of you. That one could kill her and the other could keep it secret.”

Now she finds the words. “I don’t know why this is happening, but we are innocent of this.”

“Ned. Ned brought this into our lives,” Mike says. “You think I don’t know what you and Gordon whispered about? You are trying to protect Julia and Ned. I found prescription drugs in Ned’s backpack one night. I will search it—Danielle never would. This man Julia found dead, he has some drug involvement? I heard the police talking.”

Iris says, “I don’t know, honestly.”

“I think you are lying to me. I think you better start telling the truth, for Grant’s sake. You know what it is to conceal evidence? To interfere in a police investigation? What happens to Grant if you go to jail, too?”

She hears a creak on a stair; she suspects Grant is listening. “I’ve done nothing.”

“But you say that about Kyle and Julia, too.”

“Did Danielle ever tell…ever say to you that she had reason to be afraid of someone?”

“You mean that someone threatened her?” His voice rose slightly.

“Yes.”

“No. What do you know, Iris?”

Silence.

“Who has come after her, Iris?”

“Maybe the Butlers.”

“Those two? Steve Butler is a clown.”

“They were unhappy with her. They moved close to her. I think they’re capable of anything.” She doesn’t add that she thinks that because she saw something of herself in them: Iris is capable of far more than people think.

Mike waits for her to say more. “Have you said anything to the police about them?”

“No. I have no proof. Except they say they’re getting a baby from a cousin, and if that were true they wouldn’t need Danielle.”

“Babies. You’re all so obsessed with babies.” Mike shakes his head. “Becoming a father changed a lot of my life, but it didn’t define me. You all…live through your kids too much.”

Iris hates him for saying this but she’s exhausted, so she just says: “That’s a valid point.”

“What will you do with Grant tomorrow? He can come over and stay with Peter. He shouldn’t be alone.”

“That’s not appropriate, given…”

“If Kyle killed her, Kyle can burn in hell. And if you know he did and you’re covering for him, you can burn in hell, too. But I won’t turn my back on Grant. He’s not responsible for your choices.”