“I don’t know what the point is here. Whatever Lipman left out of his book, or what was said at the trial—nothing can change now. You can’t retry the case. Nineteen eleven is a long time ago!”

“I am taking the liberty after we speak of mailing you the transcripts of my three recorded interviews with Esther and the relevant pages of the trial transcript concerning your grandmother’s testimony. Perhaps when you are more informed—”

“I don’t know why you think I need to be more informed on a dead subject that interests you a lot more than it interests me—”

“But I have a list—”

“I’m sure you do! I’m sure other people have lists as well! May I finish? I’m sure my grandmother made mistakes. I wouldn’t disagree with someone who can prove that. If I read the transcript, maybe I’ll see the mistakes. If I hear your tapes, I’m sure I will hear mistakes. I might agree with every damn thing on your list. It was a huge tragedy. But so what? Who knows why we believe things that aren’t really quite true? Human memory is fallible. Rashomon and all that. There’s nothing more to say about it now. Especially now, with a much bigger tragedy affecting everyone.”

“As a scholar and as a woman, I cannot agree with you at all. A great deal more not only can be said about the Triangle fire, Rebecca, but will be said about it, in my forthcoming book.”

“You have a new book?”

“Out of the Frying Pan: Women and Children Last has finally come unto fruition upon the completion of quite the ambitious undertaking, let me assure you. I am very much an expert whereof I speak. It will be published next spring.”

“Surely not Manatee Press again? Tell me, how could someone with your credentials want your intellectual fruition to be published by an imprint with the word “man” in the title?”

“Oh! Ha ha ha. That was very humorous. You have a very sophisticated sense of humor, Rebecca. I am sure, however, that you, with your Yale University affiliation, recognize that Manatee is one of the leading postfeminist presses today.”

“No, I’ve never heard of it until you said the name earlier in the conversation. Look—is there something specific you want to ask me or tell me?”

“I am presently revising my manuscript in light of your grandmother’s death, and yes, as a matter of fact it is indeed coming out with Manatee, and you should be grateful that I am taking the trouble of informing you now, as this book is going to stir up a great deal of renewed interest in Esther Gottesfeld, her prevarications, and the role she may have played, so I thought I should do you the courtesy—”

“The moment you heard she was dead? This is great news for you, isn’t it, Ruth? She lived long enough for you to pick her brains, and now she has conveniently died. You can’t libel the dead, so you can say whatever you please in your little book, right? Isn’t that right?”