Chapter 21: Early Retirement

The man in the gray coat took a badge out of his pocket and held it up for the room.

"State attorney's office, financial crimes," he said. "I've been in the lobby since nine-forty."

Ambrose's smile stayed where it was.

"This is my buyer."

"No, sir. Ms. Thorsby's lawyers called me after they read the deposit agreement."

He opened a folder.

"Two million dollars against collateral that was not what you described. That's fraud, Mr. Harcastle."

"It was a misunderstanding."

"There's also a fifty-two-foot motor yacht."

"I paid for the boat with my own money."

"It's registered to a company you formed the day the deposit cleared."

The investigator turned a page.

"The boat is called Early Retirement."

The man in the bow tie wheezed.

The woman by the window put her napkin over her mouth.

Ambrose looked around the table, and for the first time that week nobody looked back at him.

"Gwendolyn, dear," he said.

"Yes?"

"You can't win. You aren't even a person. You are your sister's shadow."

I opened my mouth.

"She's right next to me, Ambrose," I said. "If you look to the left."

Cordelia stepped in beside me, with her shoulder against mine.

"Same shoes," she said.

Nana took a card out of her pocket.

She slid it across the table to her brother-in-law.

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