I stared at the coffee.
“That sounds like Hannah.”
Caroline nodded.
“She liked plain words.”
I smiled despite myself.
“She once returned a restaurant bill because the total was crooked.”
“She straightened receipts, too.”
“She straightened my grocery lists.”
“Then she probably left you a straight line.”
I looked at her.
Caroline did not explain.
I almost asked her what that meant, but she had already gathered the papers.
“Come with me tonight,” I said.
“Where?”
“Father’s study.”
She nodded.
The old house was quiet when I entered the study that evening. I did not turn on the ceiling light.
I switched on the green desk lamp.
Its light fell across the desk, the brass key tray, and the safe built into the wall.
I put Hannah’s photocopy beside the lamp.
Then I opened the safe.
There were old deeds, tax papers, two canceled checks, and a legal courier envelope that had cost 18 dollars.
