At 5:06 a.m., my sister walked into the house I bo…

Aunt Marsha wrote, Finally, Christina will get what your grandmother always intended. Uncle Doug responded, Jon says the paperwork is bulletproof. Cousin Emily added, Thank God Michelle isn’t fighting.

I photographed every page Jonathan had abandoned on my counter when confidence made him sloppy. I called the county recorder’s office as soon as it opened and asked a woman named Denise Hollis whether any deed or transfer instrument had been submitted against my parcel in the previous ten business days. She did not answer immediately, which told me enough.

“There was an attempted recording yesterday afternoon,” she said carefully. “It has not been completed.”

“Because?”

“Because there are discrepancies.”

“Discrepancies,” I repeated. “Identity and title-chain issues,” she said.