“They’ve stopped the closing.”
Nobody answered.
“The funds are being held while they investigate.”
“Good,” Nora said.
He looked at her with naked disbelief.
“You contacted them?”
“With Ruth. And her lawyer.”
“You had no right.”
“Her money. Her right.”
He turned to his mother.
“You signed the letter.”
“No.”
“Your signature is on it.”
Ruth flinched.
Nora reached beneath her chair and lifted the grocery bag onto her lap. The ordinary red handles seemed absurd against the quiet in the room.
“Your mother’s lawyer has the bank records and the documents already,” she said. “These are copies.”
Julian glanced at the bag.
For the first time, Clara sat down.
“It was a family arrangement,” he said. “I explained that.”
“To whom?”
“To Mother.”
Ruth’s mouth worked before any sound emerged.
“You said you would help me move.”
“I was helping.”
“You told me the apartment needed another deposit. Then you said the seller had changed her mind.”
Julian looked away.
“The apartment was available yesterday,” Nora said. “The agent showed it to us.”
Clara pushed her chair back a few inches.
“We’ve already paid for furniture.”
Ruth gave a short, startled breath.
