Miranda rang Michael’s doorbell with the same sick feeling she had evening Sunday night since he’d left his apartment near the university where he’d taught to live out here in the ‘burbs with Sharli. The only difference on this particular Sunday evening was that instead of returning to the cozy second and third floor condo they’d once shared, a block from both her ex-husband’s new digs and the campus, she would drive home to Quail Ridge.

Sharli answered the door. “Hi, Miranda. How’s Ariel?”

They...