David touched the edge of the papers.
“Jessica.”
She pulled away from him.
“You were there when I booked the trip.”
“I thought your mother was paying for it.”
Eleanor looked at her son.
“You used my account to pay for a trip?”
David’s face folded inward.
“I didn’t know it was your account.”
“You signed the authorization.”
“I signed something Jessica gave me.”
“That is not an answer.”
He swallowed.
“No. It isn’t.”
A phone began vibrating on the marble console.
Martin glanced at the screen.
“The bank investigator is calling.”
Jessica took one step toward it.
Martin placed his hand over the phone.
“She has been informed that all communication is to go through my office.”
Jessica stared at him.
“You cannot do this.”
“I am not doing anything to you,” Martin replied. “I am preserving evidence.”
The front door opened again.
Mark entered with cold air behind him, his cheeks red from the winter wind. He stopped when he saw the faces in the foyer.
His gaze moved from Eleanor to David, then to Jessica.
“What happened?”
Jessica answered too quickly.
“Your mother is having another episode.”
Mark’s expression hardened.
“Don’t call it that.”
The words struck Jessica with more force than any raised voice.
She turned toward him.
“You’ve been waiting for this, haven’t you?”
“I’ve been waiting for you to stop lying.”
David looked at his brother.
“You knew?”
“I knew Jessica had been asking about the deed. I knew she wanted Mom to sign something. I didn’t know David had gone along with it.”
“I didn’t go along with it,” David said.
Mark looked at the paper in his hand.
“You signed.”
“I thought it was an application for a temporary financial review.”
“Why didn’t you read it?”
David had no answer.
Eleanor felt a familiar ache behind her ribs, but she held herself still.
Martin removed a small recorder from his briefcase.
“I need to explain one more thing before anyone speaks further. Mrs. Whitmore made an appointment with a certified geriatric physician four days ago. She completed the evaluation this morning.”
Jessica stared at Eleanor.
“You had her evaluated?”
“I wanted the truth,” Eleanor said.
Martin placed a report on the console.
“Mrs. Whitmore is fully competent. Her memory, reasoning, and financial judgment are within normal range for her age. The doctor specifically noted that her concerns about unauthorized financial activity were rational and supported by documentation.”
Nobody breathed.
Jessica’s confidence broke apart in her face.
She looked at David.
“You said the doctor would agree.”
David stepped back.
“I said I didn’t know.”
“You told me she was confused.”
“I said you told me she was confused.”
