Right at the top lay a single sheet of heavy cream paper, crumpled into a tight ball.

I reached down, smoothed the sheet flat on the blotter, and held it under the desk lamp.

It was a monthly statement from First Federal Bank for a corporate account under the name Blue Valley Development Corporation.

It showed two hundred and forty thousand dollars transferred out on Tuesday afternoon.

I folded the paper into quarters and slipped it deep into my cardigan pocket before walking back out to the kitchen.

I drove into town at noon, keeping both hands firmly at ten and two on the steering wheel of my sedan to keep myself focused.