“She paid cash,” Chloe said, with a short, high laugh that rattled against the bottom of her glass.

“She told the salesman you gave her a blank check for her birthday early.”

“I didn’t give her any check,” I said.

Chloe turned her head slowly on the cushion and looked at me with her mouth hanging open a little.

“Well, she had the money in a bank envelope right there in her purse.

Two big stacks of hundred-dollar bills.”

“She took cash to the lot?” I asked.