Around seven that evening, some of Sean’s entourage showed up. It was Macie, Jake, and another man Emerson hadn’t met before. He was introduced as Matthew Crosby, the lawyer. He was tall, with gray hair and sharp eyes. Sean seemed even more subdued around Matthew than Macie. But he smiled when he shook Emerson’s hand.
The five of them crowded into Emerson’s living room with difficulty. Macie, Jake, and Matthew squeezed onto the couch, while Sean forced Emerson into the armchair. Sean himself lounged casually by Emerson, sitting on the arm. Though his posture suggested calmness, Emerson could see the underlying tension in Sean’s limbs. He was likely afraid Macie would suddenly take back her offer to let Emerson play.
Macie sipped her coffee; the other two hadn’t touched their drinks.
Mat
