“Who ordered an insurance audit?” I asked.

Dale turned his head toward the spot where the old wooden fence met the highway shoulder.

“She had the corporate papers updated while you were over in Knoxville.”

I stood next to the hot tire of the idling rig until the driver rolled up his window and shut off the engine.

When I unlocked the front door at seven, the mansion was dark except for the big-screen TV glowing in the corner of the great room.

Chloe was lying flat on her back on the white leather couch with a glass of iced tea resting on her collarbone while the news anchor talked about a storm warning in Shelby County.