Fred was still in his sitting room, the financial report in his lap, a useless jumble of figures.
The apartment was physically weighed down by the eerie silence.
The quiet aftermath of a disaster was worse than a door slamming. He knew he ought to be at work.
He was aware that he should not be motionless. With the chair making a loud scraping sound against the hardwood floor he stood up suddenly.
He sensed a strong alluring pull in the direction of the stairs. His gut urged him to approach her knock on the door that was angrily closed and provide some pitiful insufficient explanation.
His body prepared for the climb as he took one step toward the library doorway.
And then he halted.
The voice of caution murmured in his mind. A familiar and painful reminder of the life he was s
