My printed name sat at the bottom of the third page above an empty signature line marked with a red sticky arrow.

“If you sign the surrender today, Julian agrees not to file a formal police report about the missing eighty-five thousand dollars,” Clara said.

“I never touched a single penny of Leo’s trust account,” I said, keeping my voice flat and even.

Clara gave a small, sharp laugh and twisted the large emerald ring on her right hand until the stone caught the overhead light.

“A woman in your condition shouldn’t be stressing herself over complicated commercial bookkeeping,” Clara said.