I looked down at the bold printed heading across the top of the white page.

“Clause nine ties a punitive bankruptcy filing to his hardware store pension,” I said.

“It sells off what’s left of his store shares and seizes his retirement payout,” Ruth said, her voice quiet and direct.

“He’ll leave Oakridge with nothing in his name but his car.”

“The commissioner’s already ordered forty-two thousand dollars put back in my bank account,” I said.

“He tried to pull your house right out from under you, Penelope,” Ruth said.