Chapter 18: Bring a Pen

On Friday at ten o'clock the management office smelled of burnt coffee and printer toner.

The notary sat at the head of a long table with her stamp laid out in front of her.

The manager sat beside her with his hands folded.

I took the chair at the far end, with Keaton behind me against the wall and Tom outside the glass door.

Grady was already there.

He had shaved and put on a suit.

In front of him sat a banker's box, a leather folio and a black pen.

Summer came in at one minute past, alone.

She was thinner in the face. She wore the navy dress.

She did not look at Grady.

"I'm here to sign," she said to the notary.

The notary pushed a single page across the table.

Summer read the first line out loud, because the manager had told her to.

"I, Summer Eberle, transfer all my interest in unit 1806 to Claire Lindell, née Ostrow, for no payment."

She signed.

The notary stamped it.

The stamp made a flat sound in the quiet room.

Summer put down the pen and looked at me.

"I'm sorry about the vitamins," she said. "I should have thrown them out. I couldn't."

"Why couldn't you?"

"I wanted to see if you'd come looking."

I didn't answer.

"I'll leave now," she said.

"Tom's outside," I said. "He asked me to tell you he's driving you to your appointment at one."

Her chin trembled.

"Okay."

She left through the glass door, and I saw Tom fall into step beside her without a word.

That left Grady.

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