“Ten minutes,” Raymond said, looking down at his watch again. “We have the heater running in the car.”
He did not offer to carry our small black bag, instead letting his fingers rest on the silver handle of the rear door.
“Martha said he was sleeping most of the day,” I said, trying to gauge his face.
“He has his moments,” Raymond said, his voice flat. “He is stronger than we expected.”
He led us toward a large black SUV parked near the edge of the gravel.
“We should get moving,” Raymond said, opening the heavy door for us. “The air is getting worse.”
As I helped Leo climb into the back seat, I saw a second man sitting in the front passenger seat of the SUV, his face completely hidden by the shadow of the visor.
“Who is that?” I asked, stopping with one foot on the running board.
“Just one of the estate managers,” Raymond said, his voice dropping to a lower, quieter pitch as he ushered me inside. “Do not worry about him.”
The heavy door closed with a dull, solid thud, cutting off the sound of the wind.
