Brother. An image of Michael popped into her head—his sheepish smile, his easy manner. She got the chills. But Michael hadn’t been her brother for a long time.

“You mean Michael? He’s on the Cape?”

“You didn’t know?”

“I never thought he’d—I mean, no. I didn’t know, but that’s nothing new.” Poppy was so shocked she could hardly speak. “It didn’t ever occur to me he was right here, so close, although now that I think of it, it makes perfect sense.”

“He said he lives in P-town. Didn’t get a gay vibe, but who knows. He’s cute.”

“I still can’t believe this. Why did he see you?”

Carol took a swig of her beer. “Good old Ann misrepresented the sale.”

“She did what?”

The bartender set another round on the bar and pointed at some guys in the corner. “They sent this over.”

This happened to Poppy all the time, only now, because the beers arrived just when she needed them most, she felt like they’d been ordered not from the men in the corner, but from a higher power.

Carol said, “He’s entitled to his share of the house from what I can tell.”

“His share? Ann said he wasn’t—that we didn’t have to worry about him.”

“She’s wrong. You do. And she knows it. That sister of yours was supposed to list him as an heir, but she didn’t. I knew something was up from the first time I met her. She seemed like she was holding back. I revoked the contract.”

“I’m sorry, but damn, I’m so confused about what this means.” Michael was alive and well? And the house—maybe it could stay in the family after all. She didn’t know what to think. She resolved right then and there to call Brad as soon as she got home. She needed him, she didn’t want to deny it any longer. She couldn’t get through this without his support.

Carol said, “You’ve got a lot of shit to work out. Shit that’s above my pay grade. Lawyer shit, right? But you’re lucky. I could have put a lien on the property and sued for misrepresentation. Believe me, I thought about it. That’s what I was planning to do the morning I stopped by, I was so pissed. But then I saw you.”

“What do we do now?”

“We? Honey, I’m out of it. I just want to be your friend. My advice? Keep looking for the will. You’ve got a mess on your hands without one. Michael wants the house, and from what I can tell, he’s got a right to it.” Carol reached into her purse and dug around. “Here, he gave me his card.”