Three Weeks After Lucas Was Gone, Charles Claimed the House on Maple Street

I clipped the badge to my coat.

VISITOR in blue block letters, and under that, GALLAGHER, V.

The elevator opened, and my father came out with Courtney on his arm, both of them dressed for a meeting that hadn’t started yet.

“Victoria.” He said it the way you greet a vendor.

“You could have called.”

“Forty-one thousand two hundred dollars left the estate account six days ago.” I kept my voice flat.

“I want the freight invoices.”