Behind him he heard Hargrove’s voice, quiet and final. “Gerald. Wait in your office. We’ll need to speak with you after.” Elias didn’t look back. He followed the men into the conference room, set the folder on the table, and sat down.
He took off his hat and placed it on the chair beside him — the way he always did, the way Margaret had always teased him for — and looked at the people across from him who were finally, after everything, ready to talk. He thought it was going to be alright. He thought Margaret had made sure of that a long time ago.