“And Ron was watching you? Oh, and I was the famous CLS researcher. Not anymore.”
“He’s never far away.” He took another drag at the cigarette. He blew the smoke out slowly, and I watched as it rose and dissipated. “So you lost a lot, too.”
“I lost my career.”
“And gained a fortune and an estate. Seems like a good-enough trade.”
“For all the good it’s done me.” I exhaled to release some of my resentment. “I don’t even know exactly what happened to my grandfather. Until I find out something certain, I only feel like I’m staying here, not that it’s truly mine.”
He took a drag on his cigarette and blew the smoke out in a lazy plume. “How well did you know your grandfather?”
“Not very. I spent summers out here after my brother died. He took care of me, we’d go for long hikes, and then he
