The county tax portal showed a parcel transfer recorded nine days earlier.

“Is forty-one thousand two hundred dollars listed on that page?” I asked, my fingers reaching right away to tug at the bottom hem of my shirt.

“It shows up as an escrow deposit under Oakwood Title,” Edward said.

“Whose escrow deposit?” I asked.

“Max’s,” he said, staring at the screen.

“The transfer fee was attached to a deed filing for a residential parcel on Birch Street.”

He tapped his ballpoint pen twice against his watch crystal.