She looked at the wall phone, which was still ringing.

“Daniel,” Ruth said, her voice dropping to a low murmur.

“The reception desk downstairs is holding a call for you.”

“They say it is urgent.”

Daniel did not stand up.

“Tell them I am unavailable, Ruth.”

Ruth closed the door behind her, shutting out the noise of the corridor.

She set the canvas bag on the chair.

“It is Arthur Pendelton,” she said.

“He called the estate first.”

“When I told him I was not there, he guessed I was here.”

“He sounded very angry, Daniel.”

“He said the Sinclair representatives have left the building.”

The room seemed to grow colder.

The merger was dead.

I looked at Daniel, waiting for the regret to show on his face.

I waited for the anger, or the sudden panic.

But his shoulder stayed relaxed under Owen’s leaning weight.

“Thank you, Ruth,” Daniel said.

“Please tell the desk to stop transferring calls to this floor.”

Ruth looked at him for a long moment.

Her eyes moved from Daniel to me, and then to the twins.