He turned toward our table, his eyes wide as he looked straight at me.

“Lauren,” he whispered, leaning across the three feet between our chairs.

“Lauren, listen to me for one minute.”

I kept my hands flat on top of my notebook and looked back at his face without saying anything.

“We can settle this outside this room right now,” Cole said, his voice strained and quiet.

“I’ll sign over all the property.

I’ll drop every custody motion.

Just tell Daniel to withdraw the audit before the federal prosecutor brings an indictment.”