“He told me yesterday in the driveway that times are tight.

If times are tight, we should see the math.”

Eleanor rinsed her rag under the cold tap and wrung the water out in one tight, hard twist.

“He’s a devoted father,” she said.

“He’s still carrying all that grief for Laura.

Don’t start treating him like a stranger over money.”

She poured two mugs of black coffee and set one next to the binder.

Steam curled up over the missing deposit records.