“Think about our marriage.”
“I am.”
“Think about everything we’ve built.”
I looked at the photograph on the dressing table.
Then I thought of Sofia standing in the dark, washing clothes with red, swollen hands.
“I am thinking about my family,” I said. “For the first time in a long time, I’m thinking about the right person.”
I ended the call.
Over the next several days, the investigation widened.
The financial records were examined. The documents were compared with official account records, and the relevant institutions were contacted.
Some of the papers in Patricia’s compartment were incomplete. Others appeared to have been altered. Investigators sought confirmation from the lawyer who had handled Elena’s estate and from the financial institution responsible for Sofia’s protected funds.
The lawyer confirmed that Elena had indeed arranged for money to be held for Sofia’s benefit.
He also confirmed that Patricia had no independent right to take control of it simply because she was married to me.
