“Why settle now?” I asked.

“The disputed signatures create substantial exposure for him,” the lawyer answered.

“Professionally and legally.”

That was more honest than promising me his career was already over.

No licensing body had entered a result in front of us, and a family settlement was not a criminal conviction.

I thought of Ronald telling me I could not afford the lawyers needed to keep Ethan.

His certainty had become one of the things the written record contradicted.