“I’m asking you to be a sensible mother,” Charles said, his voice dropping into a low, commanding tone.

“Chloe is twenty-four years old with a bright career ahead of her, and this minor family misunderstanding doesn’t belong in a police file.”

He reached into his breast pocket, took out a long blue slip of paper, and laid it right on top of the affidavit.

It was a cashier’s check made out to me for one hundred thousand dollars, drawn on First City Commerce Bank.

“Take the money, Valerie.