“He asked for expedited clearance without an audit.”

“Did you grant it?”

“I told him we have to read clause fourteen line by line first,” Samuel said.

“How did Oscar take it?”

“He stopped tapping his fountain pen,” Samuel said.

“He insisted clause fourteen was obsolete boilerplate, but his knuckles went white on his briefcase.”

I touched the thin gold band on my right index finger.

“Keep the deed in the fireproof safe,” I said.