“He never paid for the archived vault search, and I didn’t offer it to him.”

“Where would the intent note itself be kept?” Daniel asked.

“If Thomas kept a copy, it would be with his private papers,” Clara said.

“The county only holds the registry index line.”

I rested my hand on my right knee as the familiar deep ache throbbed under my trousers.

“The oak desk in the study was cleaned out when he went to the hospital,” I said.

“There was nothing in the drawers but tax receipts.”