Then at Edward.
And when she noticed the fear in her son’s eyes, she realized the documents might contain far more than Anthony’s final wishes.
The receiver clicked against Margaret’s earring.
“No,” she said. “But Linda brought me something yesterday. She called it an insurance update.”
“Did you sign it?”
“No. I couldn’t find my reading glasses.”
Across the table, eleven-year-old Sophie put her hand over her little brother’s. Ben’s spoon had begun to tremble against his bowl.
Margaret saw them, and something inside her settled.
“Sophie, take Ben into the sitting room. You can finish your dinner there.”
“Are you coming too?”
“In a minute, sweetheart.”
Linda reached for her handbag.
“Everybody is making something ugly out of nothing.”
“Leave the papers where they are,” Edward said.
The sharpness in his voice stopped her hand.
Gabriella asked Margaret whether she wanted her to come over. For twenty-six years, she had handled the family’s legal paperwork and remembered every birthday without a calendar.
“Yes,” Margaret said. “And please bring whatever Anthony gave you.”
When she hung up, Edward stood between her and the table.
“Mom, I can explain.”
She stepped around him and sat down.
Her stew had cooled. She took one spoonful anyway, swallowing carefully while Linda watched.
“You can start,” Margaret said, “by telling me why you knew I would call Gabriella.”
Edward looked toward the sitting room.
Margaret lowered her voice.
“The children don’t need another reason to be afraid. Neither do I.”
He gripped the chair he had abandoned.
“Dad caught me doing something,” he said. “Before he died.”
CHAPTER 2 – The Papers in the Bag
Margaret placed her spoon beside the bowl.
“What something?”
