“Melissa has nothing to do with my consulting expenses.”

“Then where did the nine thousand dollars go?”

“I bought equipment options for a land survey contract in Golden,” he said, his voice dropping low and hard.

“And I don’t intend to discuss my client preparations any further tonight.”

He gathered his receipt folders into a stack and walked out of the living room toward the kitchen stairs.

I stood by the sofa and watched him leave the room without asking for the bank page back.

By half past ten, the house was completely dark except for the streetlamp shining through the side window in the upstairs hall.