“I know.””

“Patricia, what did the document say?””

She took a shaky breath.

“It said that Thomas had agreed to transfer something to Daniel.””

“What something?””

Her answer came in a whisper.

“The original will.””

Then she added six words that made my blood run cold.

*Margaret, I think Dad was murdered.*

Chapter 10: The Document Dated Two Days Before His Death

For fourteen: The Document Dated Two Days Before His Death

For fourteen years, I had believed I knew exactly years, I had believed I knew exactly how my husband died.

Thomas had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His final weeks how my husband died.

Thomas had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His final weeks had been painful, but his doctors had explained what was happening. I had held his hand in the hospital, kissed his forehead, and listened to him apologize for had been painful, but his doctors had explained what was happening. I had held his hand in the hospital, kissed his forehead, and listened to him apologize for leaving me alone.

There had been no mystery.

No unanswered questions.

No reason to suspect anything except the cruel unfairness of losing someone you leaving me alone.

There had been no mystery.

No unanswered questions.

No reason to suspect anything except the cruel unfairness of losing someone you loved.

Then my sister told me she believed our father had been murdered.

I sat in the passenger seat of James's car, loved.

Then my sister told me she believed our father had been murdered.

I sat in the passenger seat of James's car, gripping my phone so tightly that my fingers began to ache.

“Patricia, don't hang up,” I said.

“ gripping my phone so tightly that my fingers began to ache.

“Patricia, don't hang up,” I said.

“Tell me exactly what you saw.””

She was crying too hard to answer immediately.

Finally, she whispered, “TheTell me exactly what you saw.””

She was crying too hard to answer immediately.

Finally, she whispered, “The document was in a brown folder inside Megan's safe. I went there to return the money she lent me. I thought if I gave it back, she'd document was in a brown folder inside Megan's safe.

I went there to return the money she lent me. I thought if I gave it back, she'd stop threatening me.””

“You went into her house without telling her?””

“She gave me the key months stop threatening me.””

“You went into her house without telling her?””

“She gave me the key months ago. She said I could use the guest room whenever I needed it.””

“Patricia, please. What did the document say?””

“I only ago. She said I could use the guest room whenever I needed it.””

“Patricia, please. What did the document say?””

“I only saw the first page. It had Dad's name, his signature, and the date. Two days before he died.””

saw the first page. It had Dad's name, his signature, and the date. Two days before he died.””

I closed my eyes.

“What was being transferred?””

“I couldn't read the whole thing. But I saw Daniel's nameI closed my eyes.

“What was being transferred?””

“I couldn't read the whole thing. But I saw Daniel's name.””

James glanced at me, then pulled into a quiet parking lot.

I put Patricia on speaker.

“Did.””

James glanced at me, then pulled into a quiet parking lot.

I put Patricia on speaker.

“Did you take a photograph?”” he asked.

“No.””

“Did you touch the document?””

“I picked it up. I wanted to see whether it you take a photograph?”” he asked.

“No.””

“Did you touch the document?””

“I picked it up. I wanted to see whether it was real.””

“Did you put it back?””

“Yes.””

James rubbed his forehead.

“Patricia, listen carefully. We cannot was real.””

“Did you put it back?””

“Yes.””

James rubbed his forehead.

“Patricia, listen carefully. We cannot conclude that Thomas was harmed because a suspicious document exists. We need to establish whether the signature is authentic, what the document actually says, and whether the date is genuine.””

“I know,” conclude that Thomas was harmed because a suspicious document exists. We need to establish whether the signature is authentic, what the document actually says, and whether the date is genuine.””

“I know,” she whispered.

“But there's something else.””

My heart began pounding again.

“What?””

“ she whispered.

“But there's something else.””

My heart began pounding again.

“What?””

“Behind the document was a hospital receipt. It was for a medication Dad receivedBehind the document was a hospital receipt. It was for a medication Dad received the night before he died.””

I felt the blood drain from my face.

“His doctors prescribed medication every day. What does that prove the night before he died.””

I felt the blood drain from my face.

“His doctors prescribed medication every day. What does that prove?””

“Nothing by itself. I know that. But the receipt had a handwritten note on it.””

“What note?””

Patricia took a shaky breath.

*?””

“Nothing by itself. I know that. But the receipt had a handwritten note on it.””

“What note?””

Patricia took a shaky breath.

Ask Eleanor about the second signature.

James immediately sat upright.

“What secondAsk Eleanor about the second signature.*

James immediately sat upright.

“What second signature?””

“I don't know. That's all I saw.””

“Did you photograph the receipt?””

“No.””

“Did Megan see you looking at the folder?””

signature?””

“I don't know. That's all I saw.””

“Did you photograph the receipt?””

“No.””

“Did Megan see you looking at the folder?””

A pause.

“Yes.””

The silence that followed was terrible.

“What did she do?”” I asked.

“She tookA pause.

“Yes.””

The silence that followed was terrible.

“What did she do?”” I asked.

“She took it from me. She told me I was trespassing in her private things. Then she asked whether I'd spoken to you.””

it from me. She told me I was trespassing in her private things. Then she asked whether I'd spoken to you.””

“What did you tell her?””

“I said no.””

“Did she believe you?””

“I don't know.””

James leaned“What did you tell her?””

“I said no.””

“Did she believe you?””

“I don't know.””

James leaned toward the phone.

“Patricia, I need you to stop discussing these documents with Megan. If she toward the phone.

“Patricia, I need you to stop discussing these documents with Megan. If she contacts you, preserve the messages. Don't go back into the house or attempt to retrieve anything.””

“I understand.””

“And I need you to tell me everything contacts you, preserve the messages. Don't go back into the house or attempt to retrieve anything.””

“I understand.””

“And I need you to tell me everything you remember about that receipt, even if it seems unimportant.””

Patricia agreed.

When the call ended, I remained motion you remember about that receipt, even if it seems unimportant.””

Patricia agreed.

When the call ended, I remained motionless.

James didn't start the car.

“Margaret, I know this is frightening, but we have to separate what we know from what we suspect.””

“I knowless.

James didn't start the car.

“Margaret, I know this is frightening, but we have to separate what we know from what we suspect.””

“I know Thomas was sick.””

“Yes.””

“I know his doctors treated him.””

“Yes.””

“And I know he left Thomas was sick.””

“Yes.””

“I know his doctors treated him.””

“Yes.””

“And I know he left a letter warning me about someone trying to take advantage of me.””

James nodded.

“Those are facts. The allegation about a letter warning me about someone trying to take advantage of me.””

James nodded.

“Those are facts. The allegation about his death is not established. We won't treat it as established without evidence.””

I looked through the windshield.

“I don't his death is not established. We won't treat it as established without evidence.””

I looked through the windshield.

“I don't want to believe my husband was murdered.””

“Then don't decide what happened before we have the evidence.””

I swallowed hard.

want to believe my husband was murdered.””

“Then don't decide what happened before we have the evidence.””

I swallowed hard.

“But I need to know why Megan has documents connected to his death.””

“That, we“But I need to know why Megan has documents connected to his death.””

“That, we can investigate.””

He called Eleanor Brooks from the car.

She answered on the second ring.

When James mentioned can investigate.””

He called Eleanor Brooks from the car.

She answered on the second ring.

When James mentioned the second signature, Eleanor went silent.

“Eleanor?”” I said.

“Do you know what Patricia is talking about?””

“I the second signature, Eleanor went silent.

“Eleanor?”” I said.

“Do you know what Patricia is talking about?””

“I may.””

“Then please tell me.””

“I need to check my records. Thomas discussed a document with may.””

“Then please tell me.””

“I need to check my records. Thomas discussed a document with me shortly before he died, but I cannot remember whether it involved a witness, a codicil, or a separate instruction concerning me shortly before he died, but I cannot remember whether it involved a witness, a codicil, or a separate instruction concerning his estate.””

“Was Daniel involved?””

“I don't know. Margaret, I don't want to give you an answer based on a his estate.””

“Was Daniel involved?””

“I don't know. Margaret, I don't want to give you an answer based on a memory that may be incomplete.””

I pressed my forehead against the cool window.

“Everyone keeps memory that may be incomplete.””

I pressed my forehead against the cool window.

“Everyone keeps telling me what they don't know.””

“Because you deserve the truth, not a guess.””

Her words stopped me.

She was right.

I telling me what they don't know.””

“Because you deserve the truth, not a guess.””

Her words stopped me.

She was right.

I had spent the last several days watching every relationship in my life collapse under the weight of suspicion. If I started invent had spent the last several days watching every relationship in my life collapse under the weight of suspicion. If I started inventing answers to fill the gaps, I would become no better than the people who had treated assumptions as permission.