He pushed the check across the polished desk to me.

It was made out directly to Penelope Vance in the amount of forty-two thousand dollars.

“I’d like to put this check into a brand-new personal savings account today,” I said.

“An account in my name and nobody else’s.”

Donald pushed his wire-rimmed glasses up one more time before taking a white signature card out of his desk drawer.

“Under the usual state banking rules, nobody else can get into, pledge, or change a sole-owner account without your direct written permission.”

“That’s exactly what I need,” I said.