“Lock everything,” I said.

“And don’t give anyone a key.”

By half past one, I was sitting across from Greg Miller in the commercial loan department at Ridgefield National Bank.

Greg was thirty-five, wearing a starched white shirt with tight cuffs, and he held my corporate share certificate between his thumbs.

“Fifteen percent of Sterling Construction gives you basic shareholder review rights,” Greg said.

“It doesn’t let you freeze corporate credit lines.”