Inside were copies of standing-payment instructions she had signed seven years earlier.

“When I was finally able to settle my old obligation, Madeline was already gone.

I spoke to Samantha.

We agreed that adding small amounts to the reserve trust served her wishes without asking you for anything.

I didn’t intend the payments to be a mystery forever.”

Samantha confirmed she had known about the standing deposits but had not yet connected Patricia to Gavin’s more recent expenditures when Claire’s case arose.

She admitted, too, that the late-night property inspection had been poorly timed and unnecessarily alarming.