At Collins Cooperation, it was ten o'clock in the morning, and all of its employees were hard at work at the various stations assigned to them.

If I had not previously been informed of the huge amount of debt held by the corporation, I would not have had any reason to assume that the seeming calm was an illusion.

Aaron, who is the vice president of the firm, was with me when we entered the meeting room.

When the attorney saw me, "I'm very sorry for the loss you've suffered. As your father requested, I have come to inform you of the contents of his will.

I acknowledged this with...