“Daniel?”

He stared at the carpet.

Harper spoke first.

“It’s nothing.”

Barbara suddenly understood why Alan had sounded different on the phone.

Why he had said there might be consequences bigger than the condo.

She stepped aside.

“Come in.”

Harper looked surprised.

Barbara opened the door wider.

“All of you.”

They entered.

Suitcases remained outside.

Barbara closed the door.

Daniel moved immediately toward the kitchen.

Barbara stopped him.

“Sit.”

He obeyed.

Harper sat beside him.

Catherine and Richard took the sofa.

Barbara remained standing.

The brown folder lay on the dining table between them.

Harper noticed it.

Daniel noticed it next.

The color drained from his face.

Barbara saw his reaction.

And that hurt more than anything else that afternoon.

“You remember this,” she said.

Daniel said nothing.

Harper looked at him.

“What is that?”

Barbara opened the folder.

“An agreement signed eleven years ago.”

Harper frowned.

“About what?”

“About many things.”

Barbara removed the first document.

“When Robert agreed to provide Daniel with the capital to expand Whitmore Coastal Development, he insisted on several protections.”

Richard sat forward.

“What does his company have to do with this?”

Barbara looked at him.

“Apparently more than I realized.”

Daniel finally spoke.

“Mom, please don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“You’re angry.”

“Yes.”

“You’re making decisions because you’re angry.”

Barbara’s voice stayed quiet.

“No, Daniel.

I spent years refusing to make decisions because I was afraid.

There’s a difference.

”

She turned a page.

“The agreement says that neither you nor any spouse, representative, company, lender, or business connected to you has any ownership claim against my personal residence or this condominium.”

Harper shrugged.

“Fine.”

Barbara continued.

“It also states that neither property can be pledged, represented, implied, scheduled, or otherwise used to support financing without Robert’s and my written authorization.”

Richard’s jaw tightened.

Catherine looked at him.

Barbara saw it.

A tiny movement.

But unmistakable.

Fear.

She looked at Daniel.

“What did you do?”

Daniel whispered, “Nothing happened.”

Barbara’s heart began beating harder.

“That wasn’t my question.”

Harper interrupted.

“It was just paperwork.”

“What paperwork?”

Daniel pressed both hands over his face.

Richard stood.

“This conversation is getting ridiculous.”

Barbara turned toward him.

“Sit down.”

Richard stared at her.

Barbara had never spoken to him that way before.

Perhaps that was why he sat.

Daniel lowered his hands.

His eyes were red.

“Richard’s company needed temporary financing.”

Catherine whispered his name.

“Daniel.”

Barbara waited.

“How much?”

Silence.

“How much?”

“Three point two million.”

Barbara heard the waves outside.

Nothing else.

Three point two million dollars.

“What does that have to do with my condo?”

Daniel looked toward Harper.

Harper looked away.

And Barbara understood before either of them spoke.

“No.”

“Mom—”

“No.”

“It wasn’t technically collateral.”

Barbara’s fingers tightened around the document.

“What was it?”

“A statement of assets.”

“My assets?”

“A projected inheritance.”

Barbara stared at him.

Daniel rushed ahead.

“The bank wanted evidence of my net worth.

We listed expected family assets.”

“You listed my condo.”

“It wasn’t only the condo.”

Barbara went still.

“What else?”

Daniel said nothing.

Barbara’s voice dropped.

“What.

Else?”

“The Ohio house.”

Her knees nearly weakened.

Robert’s house.