Whatever softness had been in Miriam’s voice went out of it at once, and something precise and hard came in behind it.

There was no gasp, no oh honey, no wasted second.

“Listen to me,” she said.

“Do not go back into that house under any circumstances.

Hang up, call 911 right now, then call me straight back.

While you do that, I am sending a clerk to the county recorder’s office and I am personally calling the bank.”

“What bank?” I asked.

“Miriam, what bank?”