"Which accountants?"
He hesitated.
"People who worked with Thomas."
"Names?"
Raymond's smile tightened.
"Margaret, you don't need to concern yourself with the details."
For forty-eight years, I had heard variations of that sentence.
Business was complicated.
Investments were complicated.
Corporate structures were complicated.
Thomas handled the money while I handled the house.
I had never questioned it because I trusted him.
Now I wondered how many people had mistaken my trust for stupidity.
"I'd like their names," I repeated.
Raymond sighed.
"We need your signature on a few documents."
He opened a folder.
Inside were several neatly arranged pages.
One title immediately caught my attention.
CONSENT TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP INTERESTS.
I looked up.
"What is this?"
"Just routine paperwork."
"Routine?"
"Yes. Thomas had agreements with certain relatives. We need to finalize them."
I read the next paragraph.
The document would release any claims I might have against Raymond's proposed ownership of several company assets.
