His face went through several expressions quickly. Surprise. Though it was the surprise of someone who had underestimated something they should have taken seriously. Then something harder. That ticket doesn’t have your name on it. He said the purchase record does, I said. Cynthia appeared in the doorway behind him.
She was already dressed, which meant she had been awake and ready for this conversation, which meant they had discussed it before coming to find me. Margaret, Cynthia said, she never called me mom, which I had always noted. You’re making a very serious mistake. That ticket was found. It wasn’t signed. Legally, it belongs to whoever holds it.
Cynthia, I said, I would encourage you to share that legal theory with my attorney because he holds a rather different view. Her eyes narrowed. Derek stepped further into the room. You have no idea what you’re doing, he said, and there was something in his voice I had not heard before. A cold edge that frightened me more than shouting would have.