“I’m closing the joint checking account completely today,” I said.

“Draw a cashier’s check for seven thousand two hundred dollars, which is the verified remainder of my personal savings balance in the linked sub-account.”

“If I close the joint line right now, any pending charges on his store cards will be declined on the spot,” Mr.

Henderson cautioned.

“That’s exactly what I expect to happen,” I said.

He printed out a stack of closing forms and slid them across the marble counter with a black ballpoint pen.

“Sign at the bottom of pages two, four, and five,” he said.