I ran the warm iron over the hem three times, making sure every crease was crisp and clean.

I draped the dress over the back of the bedroom chair, next to a black leather notepad and two blue ballpoint pens.

On the desk, my legal pad held sixteen numbered cross-examination questions written in neat block capitals.

Question one dealt with the forty-one-thousand-dollar wire on September ninth.

Question two was about the date Apex Consulting was incorporated.

Question three concerned the original signature card on file at First Federal Bank.

I went over every line twice, checking the exhibit numbers against the master list in my head.