“That paid off the corporate auditor who was threatening to open up his old regional expense ledger,” Vance said.

“He’s using your clean credit history to pay down his old criminal debts.”

“The second mortgage closes on Friday the twelfth,” I said.

“That’s three days from today.”

“If you sign that quitclaim deed on Friday,” Vance said, “you hand him eighty-five thousand dollars of home equity, and you stay on the hook for the original bank mortgage.”

“And if I refuse to sign?”

Vance laid both palms flat on his blotter.