Lily opened her notebook. She had come outside with a page of mathematics problems, but instead of beginning them, she wrote a sentence in the margin. Daniel could not see it from where he stood. He suspected it had very little to do with fractions.
At 9:40, a black Mercedes came through the gate without announcing itself. The tires crunched across the gravel with the confidence of a driver who assumed the driveway would always make room for him. Daniel looked up from the mesh he was securing and watched a man in his late forties step out. He wore an expensive dark jacket, and his expression was the measured half-smile of someone accustomed to getting answers before he asked questions.
The man looked first at the house, then at the fence, then at Daniel. "Contractor?"
"Yes."
"Where's Catherine?"
"Inside."
The man went directly toward the back door. Daniel watched him approach and wondered why he had looked so closely at the property line. The glance had not resembled a homeowner inspecting a repair. It had resembled someone measuring an asset.
Lily had gone indoors just before the car arrived. Through the glass, Daniel saw her pause when she noticed the visitor, then disappear into the hallway. He returned to the fence, trying not to imagine what was about to happen. He had no right to the family's private conversation, no matter how much he had begun to care about its consequences.
At noon, Catherine came outside alone. She had changed into a cream-colored blazer and sensible flat shoes, though she still looked as though she'd dressed for a battle no one else knew was happening. Her face was pale, and she stopped just out of reach of the tools. Daniel put down his tape measure.
"Richard Hail," she said. "My ex-husband. Lily's father."
Daniel nodded. "I assumed there was some history."
"He has friends on the board. Somehow he learned about the vote before I could tell my daughter. Now he's arguing that a leadership dispute proves I'm professionally and emotionally unstable. His attorney is preparing to request temporary primary custody."
"What does Lily think?"
"She doesn't know."
"She knew about the company before you told her."
Catherine's shoulders stiffened. "I know."
"If his lawyer sends paperwork, she may see it before you get the chance to explain."
"I know that, too, Daniel."
It was the first time she had said his name without attaching an instruction to it. He noticed, but he made no comment. Catherine moved closer to the fence and rested her hand against one of the fresh posts, testing its firmness almost unconsciously.
"Richard also wants to buy out my share of the house," she said. "He says the market is favorable and liquidating my interest would give me flexibility during the transition."
"Do you want to sell?"
"No."
"Then you have your answer."
"You haven't heard the offer."
"I heard the question that matters."
Catherine stared at him. "You can be very certain about other people's problems."