“I noticed your system login location moved to Northern California this afternoon.”

“I took my personal leave three days early,” I said, keeping my tone measured.

“My structural audit reports for the Interstate 5 bridge project were uploaded to the server before I left.”

“I’m not calling about the bridge audit,” David said.

I heard the quiet click of his silver pen against his shirt pocket.

“Our regional expansion office in Sacramento needs a permanent director starting February first.”

I ran my right thumb along the laminated edge of my state engineering license.