Chapter 5 - THE JEWELRY WAS A TEST

Evelyn had let Vanessa take the first necklace.
That surprised attorney Mara Chen when she arrived the next morning.
“You watched her steal it?”
Evelyn typed:
YES.
“Why?”
Evelyn turned the tablet.
I NEEDED TO KNOW WHETHER RICHARD WOULD STOP HER.
Mara stared.
“And?”
Evelyn’s face hardened.
HE DIDN’T.
The theft was partly greed.
Partly theater.
Vanessa believed Evelyn had already lost authority.
Richard wanted Evelyn to feel that belief.
If she stopped resisting small violations—
jewelry,
clothing,
rooms,
mail—
larger ones would become easier.
Mara looked through the security footage.
The living room system had recorded everything.
Vanessa striking Evelyn with the necklace.
The nursing-home threat.
Richard saying:
Don’t make this harder.
Theft into the handbag.
Then the banking notification.
Mara exhaled.
“This is ugly.”
Evelyn typed:
GOOD.
Mara shook her head.
“Useful. Not good.”
May you like
Evelyn looked away.
Fair.