“Did you preserve her personnel file, her payroll records, and the household security footage?”

The lawyer’s expression changed — the small, involuntary change of a professional who has just seen the trap a half-second before his client walks into it.

I had asked the questions in that order on purpose.

Each one was a door, and Dalton, not understanding the building he was in, kept walking through them.

If he had reported a theft, there would be a record contradicting his story.

If he had fired her in writing, there would be a paper trail of retaliation.