Margaret had watched him trace the letters and then signed her name as a witness.

I unbuttoned my wool coat and draped it over the back of the swivel chair.

The paper felt heavy in my hand, crisp and dry like corn husks.

I opened the top desk drawer and took out the old blue velvet box where my grandfather had kept his Navy pocket watch.

Inside lay three property tax receipts from two thousand thirteen, stamped paid with wire numbers from my overseas account.

Robert had known those wire transfers were clearing every single year.