She didn’t look up when we walked over.

She picked up three yellow highlighters from her tray and lined them up side by side on her green blotter, exactly parallel to the edge of the counter.

“Good afternoon, Daniel,” Clara said in her dry tone.

“We need the historical property ledger for parcel nine on Cedar Lane, Clara,” Daniel said.

Clara turned her chair, reached into the bottom shelf of the steel cabinet, and pulled out a thick blue binder.

She set it on the counter and opened it to the back pages.