Page 170 of The Housekeeper

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired.”

“Tell her you were just about to lie down,” Elyse directed.

“I was just about to lie down.”

“Stephanie tells me you sold the house.”

“We sold the house,” he said.

“Are you sure you want to do that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you sure you want to sell the house?”

“Of course you’re sure,” Elyse told him.

“Of course I’m sure,” my father said.

“It’s happening awfully fast. Are you sure you’ve thought this through?”

“You’re not questioning your father’s judgment, are you?” Elyse asked.

“Just that a thirty-day closing doesn’t give you a lot of time to find another place,” I offered before my father could take offense.

“Actually,” Elyse said. “We may have already found something. A lovely condo on the water. My son—I’m sure you remember Andrew. I know he thinks so highly of you—he stayed in this lovely Airbnb during one of his earlier visits, and he says that the owners might be interested in selling. Failing that,” she continued, her smug smile evident through the phone wires, “I’m sure Stephanie will be able to find us something suitable.”

“Dad…”

“I’m afraid he’s gone back to bed. Careful on those stairs, darling,” she called out. “Honestly, I don’t know what I’m going to do about that man. He’s not very steady on his feet these days, and he simply refuses to take the elevator.”

“I’m warning you, Elyse,” I told her. “If anything happens to my father…”

“Goodbye, Jodi. Have a lovely evening.”

—

My phone rang at just after two o’clock that morning.

I was in the middle of an unpleasant dream wherein I was in a dark closet hiding from a serial killer when the cellphone in my pocket rang, giving away my position. It took three rings for me to realize that the sound wasn’t emanating from my nightmare but the landline beside my bed. “Hello? Dad?” I said, answering the phone before it could ring again.

“Who’s this?” my father asked.

“It’s Jodi, Dad. What’s wrong?”

“Why are you calling?”

“I didn’t call, Dad. You phoned me.”

“I did?”

“Yes, Dad. Where are you? Where is Elyse?”

“Elyse is asleep. Why are you phoning?”

“I didn’t…Are you okay, Dad?”