“How sweet.” But her eyes scanned the floorboards of the shed with a sharp, searching intensity, and Alvin understood that she was still looking for the box, still hunting for the documents that Manuel had hidden, still uncertain how much he had held back from her.

The next morning at breakfast, Alvin laid the trap Inez had told him to lay.

He announced he was heading back to New York early.

“Too many board meetings,” he said.

“I can’t stay.” Veronica visibly relaxed, pouring herself more coffee.

And then Alvin added, casually, the bait: “Honestly, it’s a relief knowing you two are taking care of the house and the bills.

I’ve always been terrible with family estate stuff.” And Veronica took it instantly, exactly as Inez had predicted she would.