Martin placed one hand over the papers.
“What does that mean?” Declan demanded.
“It means,” Martin said, “you are not touching anything.”
Gerald’s voice remained calm through the speaker.
“Raymond anticipated that Declan might attempt to pressure Lowen before she had time to obtain independent advice.
The trust authorizes reimbursement of all legal costs arising from such an attempt.
It also directs the trustee to provide documented misrepresentations to the appropriate court if a challenge is filed.”
Declan’s face reddened.
“This is family business.”
“You brought an attorney into my home,” I said.
“To keep it from becoming ugly.”
“You called me incompetent because I went to the hospital.”
“I was protecting the assets.”
“You were trying to make me sign them away before I understood what I owned.”
He opened his mouth, but Martin interrupted.
“Did you know why she was hospitalized?”
Declan said nothing.
Martin looked at the bracelet around my wrist.
I answered for him.
“He never asked.”
The words landed harder than I expected.
My brother had built an argument around my medical condition without knowing what it was.
He had not needed facts.
He only needed a weakness he could display to a judge.
“It was a kidney stone,” I said.
“I was treated, observed, and discharged.
My capacity was never questioned by anyone except the brother who did not call me.”
Declan reached for a different weapon.
“Mom agrees with me.”
I felt the familiar pull of guilt before I could stop it.
Declan had always used other relatives as invisible juries.
He spoke for people before they knew a trial had begun.
“Did you tell her about the release?” I asked.
“She knows Raymond was unfair.”
“That was not my question.”
“She knows family money should stay with family.”
“I am family.”
He stared at me as if the sentence offended him.
Gerald spoke again.
“Lowen, do you want me to contact security?”
Declan scoffed.
“Security? She invited me in.”
“I did not.”
The building manager had let him through because he claimed I was expecting him.
He had used our shared last name and a worried-brother performance to enter my home while I was hospitalized.
Martin closed his briefcase completely.
“We’re leaving.”
Declan turned on him.
“I’m not finished.”
“I am.”
“You cannot abandon me in the middle of a negotiation.”
“This was not a negotiation.
You asked me to deliver a settlement proposal based on facts you failed to disclose.”
Martin handed me his card.
“Do not sign anything.
I will send written confirmation that today’s proposal has been withdrawn.”
