I sat completely still on the edge of the mattress.

“My aunt has been dead for eight whole years now.”

“I understand that, ma’am,” Valerie replied smoothly.

“Her estate was fully settled a long time ago,” I pointed out.

“I am well aware of that fact as well,” she said.

“Then why on earth is someone from her estate inspecting my private home at two o’clock in the morning?”

Valerie let out a quiet, slightly embarrassed laugh over the line.

“We were not actually scheduled to be here at two in the morning.