“You’re jumping to conclusions.”
Elise began crying.
Her father went to her.
“Sweetheart, tell me one thing. Why is the door yellow?”
She whispered, “Because that’s the door I lock.”
Her father stared toward the basement hallway.
The basement door was yellow.
Paul’s face changed.
And the drawing Ms. Brennan dismissed as ugly suddenly looked like the first warning anyone had bothered to notice. 👇
Elise’s father did not look at Paul again. He lowered himself beside his daughter and kept his voice level.
“The yellow basement door?” he asked.
Elise nodded.
“You lock it to keep someone out?”
Her eyes moved toward Paul.
Paul raised both hands. “This is getting ridiculous.”
Her father said, “Paul, go downstairs.”
“You cannot be serious.”
“Go downstairs and stay there.”
Paul laughed. “This is my apartment too.”
“Then go to your apartment.”
Something in his brother’s voice finally made Paul stop arguing. He backed toward the yellow door. Elise immediately grabbed her father’s sleeve.
“No.”
Her father looked at her. “What?”
“Do not let him go down.”
Paul froze.
Elise’s father felt her hand trembling. “Why?”
She began crying so hard the answer came in pieces. “Mom’s things. He has Mom’s things.”
The kitchen went silent.
Paul’s face changed. “I have no idea what she is talking about.”
Elise’s father stood. “Stay where you are.”
