“He never asked anyone to spend the rest of their life afraid of a wealthy man.”

I thought about that on the drive home.

My uncle hadn’t arrived at the hospital to win an old feud.

He had arrived because I called him.

And when my husband reached for Theo, Frank had chosen the person standing in front of him over every battle he’d left unfinished behind him.

PART 13

Eleanor Mercer’s files reached Dana’s office in a battered cardboard archive box.

Inside were letters, stock certificates from the original venture, faded statements, and copies of requests Ruth had sent for an accounting.