"Right." He changes direction back to the hotel. "Well, I know my grandpa grew up dirt poor, so that's probably why he thought we were trying to con him or something."

Which had stung, being mistrusted from the start, although Howard's self-aware enough to recognize it's the way he treats everyone in turn.

"But my grandpa was always kind of a jerk, I hear. I didn't see much of him when I was a kid."