Clare didn’t work in any bank. She worked part-time at a clothing boutique, but I didn’t say anything. I just nodded and waited for her to continue.
“The thing is, with inflation, with everything going up, money that’s just sitting there loses value,” she went on. “But if you invest it well, you could live much better. You could even help us out if you ever needed to.”
There it was again. The same song, different voice.
“I appreciate the concern, Clare, but I’m fine just as I am.”
“But Eleanor, think about it. You’re sixty-four years old now. You have to think about your future, your security,” she said, leaning forward slightly. “We could take care of everything. You would just have to sign a few papers and that’s it. No complications.”
Sign a few papers. There was the whole trap served up on a silver platter.
“No, thank you. I prefer to keep everything as it is.”
I saw her smile tighten just slightly. The muscles around her mouth tensed for a fraction of a second before relaxing again.
“Well, Eleanor, you know, we just want what’s best for you. But if you change your mind, we’re here.”
She left with the same smile she arrived with. The cookies remained on my table. I didn’t touch those either. I didn’t want to eat anything that came from those hands.
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