It was in a hallway between two rooms, and I had just stepped into the hallway behind it.

Several business days.

I had not known, until that sentence, how much protection could live inside an interval.

I signed.

He took the original transfer request, placed a small yellow sticker on my copy, and told me to keep it with my records.

“Does this mean the money is safe?” I asked.

“It means the review has started,” he said.

“The next step belongs to the bank.” As we left, a new message from Monique lit my phone.