I didn’t want to believe that he had known. After everything I’d shown him, everything I’d shared with him. I felt stupid. My phone buzzed with his reply.

Karter: You should go back to Brooklyn. Right now. It’s not safe for you here.

I tried calling Mom. No answer.

A flurry of activity in the front of the lobby drew my attention. Dr. Grant came rushing in.

“What’s going on?” she asked

I steered her into the bank manager’s office. “You were right about Karter, and his mom is even worse. She’s been lying to me and my family and to everyone this whole time.” I looked at the bank representative. “Please fill her in. I gotta go.”

“No,” Dr. Grant said. “Don’t leave.”

“I’m gonna go get my mom and we’ll meet you back here.” I didn’t wait for her to protest. I quickly left the bank and called Mom, then Mo, and then Mom again. No one answered. I set a pickup for another Lyft. My phone rang.

“Mo!” I yelled.

“What’s wrong?”

“Where are you?” I asked.

“I’m on my way back, but it’ll be a while. Your mom was so upset. What’s going on?”

“When’s the last time you talked to her? To Mom?”

“Earlier, when she asked me to come back. Why?” Fear invaded her voice. “Briseis, what is going on?”

“You gotta get here. Are you taking the train?”

“No. I rented a car. I’m driving, but I’m not even halfway back yet.”

“Mo, Mrs. Redmond was lying. There’s nothing wrong with the house, at least not in the way she said.”

“Oh,” Mo said, heaving a sigh of relief. “Okay. That’s good. Wait—why are y’all so upset then?”

“She’s not the person who was supposed to get in touch with us about the house. All those papers were with a woman from the bank who disappeared and then turned up dead.”

Mo gasped.

“Mrs. Redmond knew about me,” I said. “She pretended to be from the adoption agency and gave the bank our information to have the house papers drawn up. Circe didn’t will us this house, and I don’t think she left me those notes. It was Mrs. Redmond the whole time.”

“Why?” Mo asked.

“The Heart,” I said. “That’s all this has ever been about.”

My Lyft pulled up and I jumped in. “You gotta get here,” I told Mo. “I’m gonna go get Mom and meet Dr. Grant back at the bank.”

“I’m coming,” Mo said. She hung up.