I didn’t want you to think the money came from nowhere.”

I looked at Samantha.

She nodded to confirm that verifying the deposits would be straightforward.

“Why didn’t Madeline tell me you knew each other?”

“Because she thought family disputes were contagious,” Patricia replied.

“She didn’t want you carrying the arguments the four of us had as young women.

She was wrong to keep the history entirely to herself, but she was not trying to deceive you for money.”

“And what do you have that she wanted returned?”