“I’m trying to follow the money your father moved out of our local accounts,” I said, setting the ceramic salt shaker down on top of a stack of bank receipts.

Sophie dropped the highlighter back onto the island with a sharp click.

“He called me from his apartment on Friday, Mom.

He sounded so exhausted.”

“He cleared forty-five thousand dollars out of our savings,” I said.

“He gave the teller the name of an LLC I’ve never heard of.”

“He’s trying to make this clean,” Sophie said, her voice rising.

“He told me he’s taking all the personal debt on himself so you don’t get stuck with anything.”