My mother gasped softly, as if the word foreclosure stabbed her.
Brittany placed one hand over her stomach.
Jamal lowered his eyes, pretending sadness, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
I almost smiled.
The condo had been paid off in cash three years earlier.
No mortgage.
No lien.
No debt.
But I wanted to hear how far they would go.
Judge Whitman leaned forward. “Mr. Caldwell, stripping an adult of legal and financial autonomy is an extreme remedy. I assume you are prepared to substantiate these allegations.”
“Absolutely, Your Honor,” Caldwell said. “We call Jamal Price.”
Jamal stood.
He moved like a man walking into applause.
He buttoned his jacket, stepped to the witness stand, and swore to tell the truth with one hand raised and a lie already sitting behind his teeth.
Mr. Caldwell smiled. “Please state your name and occupation.”
“My name is Jamal Price,” he said. “I am a senior investment broker at Northern Lake Capital in downtown Chicago. I manage complex portfolios for high-net-worth clients.”
