The apartment was old enough that the kitchen was a separate room with an open doorway. When they stepped inside, Maria set down the bag and turned to her.
"There was a man here yesterday. I never saw him before. He said he was your brother. Is that true?"
Ally felt a chill go through her body.
"Your mother seemed to know him," Maria went on, "but I wasn't sure whether she might have just been pretending. Sometimes you never know what she gets or doesn't get. She's a good faker."
"What... what did he want?"
"Well, the first thing seemed to be that he wanted to ask your mother a question about you. Then he started trying to talk her into going to some clinic out in New Jersey, where they might be able to help ... her mind."
Shit. What is he up to? Is he trying to get to me through Nina?
"You said he asked Mom a question about me? What—"
"What are you two whispering about?" came a voice from the doorway.
"All kinds of secrets." Ally glanced up and smiled. "Maria was just telling me about a visitor you had yesterday, Mom. Do you remember if anyone came to see you?"