‘Once your daughter goes back to her own life, Stefan and I can manage the property.
You know he deserves it.’
Mom answered, ‘He deserves what I chose to leave him.’
‘She’s filled your head with stories about us.’
‘My daughter barely speaks about you.’
‘Then why punish Stefan?’
‘I’m not punishing him.’ Mom’s breathing was audible, thin and uneven.
‘But she bathed me when I could not stand.
She slept beside my bed when I was frightened.
Stefan called when he remembered.
You came when you wanted signatures.’
In the office, Stefan covered his mouth.
The recording continued.
Yvonne’s voice lost its sweetness.
‘You think she’ll keep this place? She’ll sell it before the flowers on your grave are dead.’
Mom replied, ‘That will be her decision.’
‘Sign the deed, Helena.’
‘No.’
‘You can barely hold a pen.
No one will question a shaky signature.’
The recording ended.
Stefan stood perfectly still.
Yvonne’s face had become bloodless.
I felt sick, not because I was surprised by her greed, but because I could picture my mother alone in her bedroom, weak from chemotherapy, forced to defend the walls around her from someone wearing a sympathetic smile.
Stefan whispered, ‘You told her no one would question the signature?’
‘She baited me.’
‘She was dying.’
‘She knew exactly how to make people feel sorry for her.’
The moment the words left Yvonne’s mouth, she seemed to hear them as the rest of us did.
There was no way to pull them back.
Stefan stepped away from her.
Yvonne reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded document.
‘I have proof,’ she said.
‘I brought the copy.’
Mr.
Alden did not touch it.
‘Place it on the table.’
She hesitated.
‘Why?’
‘Because if that is the document Stefan saw, it may be evidence of attempted fraud.’
Her grip tightened.
‘You’re threatening me.’
‘I am describing the significance of what you are holding.’
Stefan took the paper from her before she could stop him.
He unfolded it and placed it in front of Mr.
Alden.
The attorney studied the page for less than a minute.
‘The signature resembles Helena’s,’ he said.
‘But this registration stamp was copied from an older mortgage release.
The numbers are identical.’
Stefan stared at the paper.
‘You said this was filed.’
Yvonne looked toward the door.
‘We should leave.’
‘I’m not leaving with you.’
Her head turned sharply.
