She smoothed the front of her expensive wool coat.

She did not look at Alexander as the officer escorted her out.

She kept her eyes fixed on me until the heavy doors of the library closed behind her.

The silence that followed was heavy.

Alexander sank into the large leather chair behind his mahogany desk.

He looked older.

The lines around his eyes seemed deeper under the green shaded lamp.

“Where is Ethan?” he asked.

“He is in his room,” I said. “He is asleep.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“I checked on him before I came downstairs,” I said. “He had his dog next to him.”

Alexander nodded slowly.

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small brass box.

He unlocked it with a small key from his ring.

Inside was a single sheet of heavy cream-colored paper, folded in three.

“This is the letter Eleanor left,” Alexander said.

“The one Celeste wanted so badly.”

He laid it on the desk between us.

The paper was slightly yellowed at the edges.

“I want you to read it, Elena,” he said.