MY SON CALLED AT 2:13 A.M. AND WHISPERED, “MOM, TURN OFF ALL THE LIGHTS, HIDE, AND BE CAREFUL AROUND DAD.”

During the renovation, I’d built a small safe room behind an oak armoire to store documents, blueprints, and a few belongings that had been my father’s.

Christopher never knew it existed.

I went inside, closed the panel, and crouched down with one hand over my mouth.

A few minutes later, I heard a key in the front door.

Footsteps. Slow. Far too careful to be my husband’s normal footsteps.