The rain had a rhythm that made the whole condo feel older than it was—Portland gray, bay winds pressing the windows like a steady hand. I was halfway through a proposal that refused to become coherent when my phone buzzed once, a new voice memo. I expected a client note or one of my own reminders. Instead, my brother’s voice spilled into the room. “Mom, Elise just isn’t reliable. She’s unstable. Transfer everything to me. I’ll handle it.” Twenty-seven seconds. That’s all it took to take the lid