Halloran’s office answering his questions about the date and the season and the president, counting backward from a hundred by sevens, drawing his clock, feeling faintly absurd the whole time — a woman who had balanced the family’s books for sixty years being asked to prove she still had her wits.

But I had understood, even then, that Shirley’s last and most dangerous weapon would be precisely this claim, that the old woman was not competent to hold her own fortune, and I had decided to take that weapon out of her hands before she could raise it.

So when she reached for it, there was nothing there.

Dr.

Halloran had already certified, in writing, that my mind was entirely my own.”

She glared at me, her hands shaking with rage.