He waited until Gertrude had finished breakfast and I had cleared the dishes.

I recognized the choreography immediately: two people seated across from me, each ready to approve of the other.

“A distributor I know wants to expand,” he began.

“The timing is excellent.

There’s a limited window to join.”

He slid a printed summary toward me.

It promised impressive returns, but the projections were not accompanied by the detailed agreements or verified financial records I would have expected for such a large commitment.

“What would we be investing?” I asked.