“Two separate animals, Major.

Your housing allowance and your mortgage.”

“I know what they are.” I laid my hands flat on the edge of his desk.

The wood felt cool.

“Then you know the base can’t keep a bank from treating a house as collateral.”

He flipped the yellow paper over and reread the number at the bottom, 4471-C, as though it might read differently a second time.

“I’ve been away six months,” I said.