I started to speak, and she held up a gloved hand, like an impatient teacher cutting off a student’s meandering reply. “I will answer no questions. This is the deal. Just think of all the money you’ve spent on your daughter, and this adoption, and you’ll be able to put at least one of them through private college if you just do as I ask. It will be the easiest money you’ve ever made.”

“Why?”

“I said, no questions.”

“I could say no to adopting Sasha and then you will not pay me.”

“The moment you say no,” the warning woman said, “I will call you with an account number in a Cayman’s bank, and you can verify the amount. I won’t cheat you.”

“Why do you want my baby?” I hated the tears in my voice.

“He’s not your baby. Not yet. He won’t even remember that you played with him yesterday. You just say no. Your husband and your adoption consultant may be surprised, but they won’t talk you out of it. You’re a strong personality, Iris. I admire that about you.”

She slid a cell phone to me. “It’s a burner phone. There’s one number programmed in it. You call that number, day or night, and I’ll answer. I understand you have to think about it. I understand you have to sell this to Kyle. Or simply tell him you don’t want the child. He seems like he would defer to you. But it really is for the best.” She stood up.

Once, after my dad abandoned us, some girls cornered me on the playground and teased me about having a deadbeat father who had taken off. I wasn’t a kid who got into fights. But they were pushing me and shoving me between them, like I was nothing, like they had the right, and I don’t even remember it, but I bloodied two of their noses and gave the other a black eye. And I went crying to the teacher, ashamed of what I’d done, so many tears, until they sent me home, and on the drive home, Mama telling me how embarrassed she was, didn’t I have manners, didn’t I know better. A smile cracked my face, and those mean little bitches never bothered me again or even looked at me sideways or said a word to me that they didn’t pick carefully.

I wondered in that moment if I could deck her, knock her silly with a playground punch, make her tell me why. But she looked back at me with an unflinching gaze.

I took the phone. “What happens if I say no to your offer?” I said.

“Say no,” she answered, “and find out.” Then she turned and walked away.