I ARRIVED AT MY BEACH HOUSE EXPECTING PEACE-YILUX

I said. My voice didn’t shake. That surprised me.

“It’s been a while,” he added carefully.

“It has,” I replied. Then I paused. “I need to ask you something, and I need you to be very clear with me.”

A silence stretched between us.

“I’m listening.”

“Did I ever sign anything,” I said slowly, choosing each word like it mattered—because it did, “that gave my continue reading …