maybe he hasnt been judging Carl for other reasons. Maybe Owen doesnt judge him because Carl returns the favor, by not judging a secret Owen felt safe confiding in Carl. Even if that theory is wrong, I still need to talk to him. Because Carls also the only lawyer I know in town. I knock on the front door, but no one answers. Not Carl, not Patty. Its odd because Carl works from home. He likes to be around for his kidshis two young kidswho usually nap at this time. Carl and Patty are sticklers for their childrens schedule. Patty lectured me about it during our first night out together. Patty had just celebrated her twenty-eighth birthday, which made the lecture all the more enjoyable. If I was still able to have childrenthat was how she said itI was going to have to be careful not to let them rule the roost. Id have to show them who was in charge. That meant a schedule. That meant, in her case, a 12:30 P.M. nap every day. Its 12:45. If Carl isnt home, why isnt Patty? Except that through the living room blinds, I see that Carl is home. I see him standing there, hiding behind those blinds, waiting for me to go. I knock on the door again, pressing hard on the doorbell. Im going to ring the doorbell for the rest of the afternoon until he lets me in. Kids naps be damned. Carl swings the door open. He is holding a beer; his hair is neatly combed. Those are the first indicators that something strange is going on. His hair is usually uncombed,

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave