“Whose name?” Melissa demanded.

Sandra waved a hand. “Ellen’s, obviously. And when the Lord calls her home, it’ll be—” She stopped, hearing herself a second too late.

June Aldrich looked at her. “It’ll be what, exactly?”

I opened the folder, took out the top document, and slid it across the linen until it touched Derek’s wine glass.

“Warranty deed. Greene County Records. Read the grantee line out loud, Derek. You love telling people I just write checks. This is the biggest check I ever wrote.”

He picked it up still wearing the smirk, and I watched the exact moment it died. His lips parted. The color left his face all at once.