“Fifty thousand in cash, tax-free, paid the minute your signature is certified.”

I pulled the papers over to my side of the table and turned to page three.

The text was printed in dense, tiny type near the bottom margin.

“Section eight says I give up every right to request or look at state registry records,” I said.

Patrick took a slow drink from his water glass before he answered.

“Standard protective language,” he said.

“It stops either of us from dragging old personal history back into court down the road.”