Their laughter returned almost immediately once he had stepped away, louder now, as though mocking his attempt at dignity. Inside, Arthur set the bottle down on the counter. He rinsed his hands, scrubbing harder than necessary as if their words had clung to his skin.
For a long while he stood in the kitchen, staring out at the pool through the glass. The water shifted under the breeze, carrying a faint haze that hadn’t been there before. He thought of calling the police, but he already knew how that would go.