Agent Carter sat opposite me, his elbows resting lightly on the table, as if he didn’t want to encroach on the space I’d carved out over decades of early breakfasts and late-night cups of tea. His voice softened, but not with the condescension that young people sometimes adopt toward their elders; his tone was measured, respectful, almost cautious. « Mrs. Hensley, I have a few questions for you directly. I hope you don’t mind. »
« It’s your job, » I said, clasping my hands together. « Ask. » He nodded, glancing into the living room where my daughter and son-in-law were whispering furiously. « Have you had any incidents recently? Falls, moments of confusion, missed appointments, anything like that? »
I looked him straight in the eyes. « No. » He paused, as if to give me time to think. « You didn’t do that? » « No. » « Very well, » he said gently. « Have you authorized anyone to manage your finances? »
I felt the question lodge itself in the back of my throat, like a stone. It was clear he already suspected something. « No, » I replied. « I’ve always managed my accounts myself. No one else has access to them. » He nodded again, more slowly this time. « Your daughter suggested you misplaced some important documents. Is that true? »
I almost laughed, not because it was funny, but because it was all so predictable. « Officer, I’ve kept all my receipts, all my tax documents, all my insurance papers in labeled folders for forty years, color-coded. The only thing I’m losing these days is my patience. » He gave a small smile, then straightened up when he heard footsteps approaching.
My daughter’s shadow stretched across the doorway before she appeared, her face tense and filled with a sense of justice. « Is everything all right here? We simply want what’s best for her. » « That’s true, » I said softly, and the words had a note of restraint.
She gave me a look that was a mixture of pity and irritation, the kind of look you give a dog that barks incessantly. « Mom, please don’t complicate things. We’re trying to help you. » Carter didn’t turn to her immediately. His gaze remained fixed on me, respectful but scrutinizing. « Mrs. Hensley, would it be possible to take a look at the documents you mentioned? »
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