The main business address was a post office box in Wethersfield registered under Margaret’s maiden name.

Attached to the filing was a secondary signature authorization form for commercial bank transactions.

The handwriting along the bottom line matched the flowing script on every birthday check Margaret had ever sent Sophie.

“Do you need state-certified sealed copies of these three pages?” the clerk asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“I’ll need two official stamped sets.”

“That’s forty-five dollars in cash or by bank draft.”

I handed her three twenty-dollar bills from my purse and waited at the wooden counter while the seal press clicked three times.