Elizabeth said. “She likes the idea of it—acrobats.” She’d called Frank to invite him. Chinese acrobats at the Utina Fairgrounds Amphitheater. It’d been a week since Dean had returned, a week since Frank had walked out on the mess at Aberdeen and the scuffle with Carson, and though he’d yet to have another face-to-face with his brother, his conscience had gotten the best of him the day after Dean’s return and he’d driven out to Aberdeen again to check on Arla. He’d found his mother operating with a strange stoicism and a matter-of-fact acceptance of Dean’s presence. Sofia seemed changed, somehow, more peaceful, though he was loath to believe that this could have been due to Dean’s return. Bell was a bright dervish, traipsing through the halls of the big house. Elizabeth, though, had seemed to be avoiding him, and he had an idea why. But now—acrobats.“Where’s Carson?” Frank said.“Don’t know,” she’d said, and her voice was so flat and final that he hadn’t asked any other questions.“I’ll pick you up,”
