Hurt adds, “Well, he’s not officially doing that. He’s not officially doing anything,” he says. “He’s not even drawing a goddamn paycheck from Kerpak. Who knows how they distribute the wealth.”

“He invests her interests,” I say.

“Exactly,” Kateri says. “Your property is of great interest.”

I look at Brewer, who just shakes his head.

“Did you know about this?” I ask, annoyed.

“No,” he says. “I don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about, or why it makes a difference.”

“Oh, come on,” Hurt says.

“It totally makes a difference,” I say to Brewer.

“Would you excuse us?” Kateri says to Brewer.

“I’m not leaving my client alone with you,” he answers.

She looks at me.

“Just go,” I say. “Like, for good, okay? Call Bear and tell him I fired you.”

“Against my recommendation,” Brewer says, but he snaps his pad into his briefcase.

“I’ll take my chances,” I say.

Only Kateri stays in the room with me. We sit there at the table for a long, silent moment.

“We took some evidence from the model home,” she says finally, “that proves his interest in the property. I don’t know yet if he’s willing to cooperate with us.”

“I need to talk to him,” I say.

She takes me out to the lobby to make a phone call and lets me call Bear from the office phone, not the pay phone.

All it does is ring. There’s no voice mail. It rings fifteen times, with me just holding the receiver, listening while Kateri stands a few feet away, watching.

I shake my head and put the phone down.

I had no idea I had anything of interest, anything that was worth anything to someone other than just us. It was just our house. I never thought beyond that. And I was stupid enough to think I was the thing he wanted.

When she walks me back to my cell, Kateri gives me a Twix bar she got out of the machine.

“Are you going to arrest him?” I ask.

She presses her lips together and nods.

Two hours ago I would have said he didn’t do it. I swallow, my throat still sore. “I just want my sister back,” I say.

Kateri touches my shoulder then, and I don’t mean to, but I crumple up against her, and for just a second she puts her arms around my shoulders and cups the back of my head like no one has hugged me in a long, long time. I smash my face into her collarbone. She smells like sandalwood, like soap my mother used to use. Then I jump away abruptly and wipe my face.

“He has more of a motive than you do,” Kateri says.

I look at the floor. “Did Brewer know that?” I say.

She tilts her head. “It’s likely,” she says. “Bear’s been controlling more of this than anyone knew.”

“It’s all different than I thought,” I say. “I can’t trust anyone.”

“You can trust me,” she tells me. “I promise.”