“A lawyer?” I hesitated, all fragile uncertainty. “That sounds expensive, sweetie. And complicated. I don’t want to sign my life away.”

“You’re not, Mom,” he soothed, his voice dripping honey. “It’s just to protect the house. To protect us. I’ll have Marcus bring the papers by today. You sign, and you won’t have to worry about a single bill ever again.”

“Okay,” I whispered, slumping back and closing my eyes. “Okay, Colly. Whatever you think is best. My mind just isn’t working right.”

Eyes closed, I listened to him scramble for his phone, the faint tapping of a text. He was eager. He was greedy. And he was walking right into the snare.

I stayed another hour, acting confused, repeating stories from his childhood, “forgetting” the nurses’ names. By the time I stood to leave, Colton looked positively giddy.

“Marcus will be here at three, Mom,” he said. “Can you come back then?”