“Keep your head under that freezing water, old woman—your daughter’s inheritance belongs to me now.”

By the time Claire Hale kicked open the bathroom door, her mother’s lips had begun turning blue.

Evelyn Bennett lay twisted inside the white bathtub, fully dressed in a navy sweater and wool pants. Ice-cold water hammered her gray hair flat against her face. One hand scraped uselessly along the porcelain while Mark held her shoulder beneath the faucet.

“Sign it,” he said through his teeth. “Or stay there until you understand who controls this house.”

Mark turned at the sound of the splintering door.

For half a second, he looked less frightened than inconvenienced.

Claire crossed the tile before he could straighten. She shoved him away from the tub, reached over her mother, and twisted the faucet shut. Evelyn’s soaked body shook so violently that her teeth struck together.

“What did you do?” Claire shouted.

“She slipped.” Mark backed into the sink. His green shirt was wet to the elbows. “She got confused and fought me when I tried to help.”

A stack of printed pages lay on the counter beside a pen. The top page was damp, but Claire could still see her mother’s name and the words LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.

Evelyn grabbed Claire’s wrist.

“He locked the door.”

Mark’s expression changed.

“Evelyn, you’re not thinking clearly.”

“You held me down.”

Claire pulled out her phone and called 911. Mark moved toward the doorway, then stopped when she stepped between him and the hall.

“You’re going to destroy this family over one confused accusation?” he asked.

Claire looked at the red marks forming along her mother’s neck and shoulder.

“You destroyed it before I got home.”

The paramedics arrived twelve minutes later. Mark tried to explain that Evelyn had refused to bathe for days. Claire knew that was a lie. Her mother had showered that morning before a cardiology appointment.

As they lifted Evelyn onto the stretcher, she reached for Claire again.

“Don’t let him get to the bank before nine.”

Claire bent closer.

“What happens at nine?”