There were thirty-eight days between Spencer’s test results and the foundation payment.

I slid the legal pad under the desk lamp as a soft knock sounded on the frame of the balcony door.

Theo came out onto the balcony carrying two heavy stoneware mugs of hot dark roast.

He set one down on the glass side table and held his own mug in both hands, gazing out at the coastline.

“You’ve been staring at those audit sheets for an hour, Vivian,” he said.

“Look at the timeline on these two photocopied pages,” I said, passing him the lab log.