“Why?”
“For bringing you into that.”
“You didn’t ask the question.”
“I brought you to the place where people ask it.”
“And I agreed to come.”
“That does not make it pleasant.”
“No.”
She opened her eyes.
“I knew someone would say something like that. Knowing did not improve it.”
“We can go inside through the private entrance.”
“What happens if we skip the rest?”
“Nothing important.”
“Sophie?”
Sophie stood several feet away, pretending to inspect her phone.
“We can finish here,” she said. “You have enough photographs. The main interviews are done.”
Ellie looked at me.
“Would you be disappointed?”
“Yes.”
Her eyebrows rose.
I continued before she could misunderstand.
“I would be disappointed that it was made unpleasant for you. I would not be disappointed in you.”
“That was almost too well phrased.”
“I had media training.”
“Suspicious.”
She looked toward the curtain.
“How many more?”
“Four minutes,” Sophie said.
“Actual minutes?”
“Actual.”
Ellie breathed out slowly.
