She’s got nowhere else to go.”

“You have your retirement pension from the hardware company,” I said.

“And you have the legal defense bills Julian left you with.”

“Will you talk to the prosecutor?” Arthur asked, his hands hovering near his chest as if he wanted to be holding his newspaper again.

“Tell them I didn’t understand the contract codes.

Tell them I was just trying to help Julian save his business.”

“I’m a witness in a federal prosecution, Arthur,” I said, calling him by his first name for the first time in my life.