Nathaniel thought of the four-hundred-dollar figure printed on the original receipt, then looked at the six-hundred-dollar settlement check in his fingers.

He gripped the check with both thumbs and tore it down the middle, then tore the two halves again.

“We’re done negotiating in your parking lot, Arthur,” Nathaniel said.

The four torn pieces of the settlement check fell onto the muddy snow beside Arthur’s tires.

Arthur Vance said nothing more as he backed his SUV out of the lot, leaving the four torn slips of paper fluttering against the slush near the curb.

Nathaniel watched the red taillights turn onto Route 30 before he picked his glove up off the truck hood and headed back toward his shop.