I reached into my leather satchel and took out the original land deed to my forty-acre home property in Collin County.

I set the thick document on top of his squared-up papers.

“That’s my personal property,” I said.

“It’s fully paid off.

I want an independent credit line with this deed as collateral.”

Dale picked up the deed and studied the red county seal at the bottom.

“You’re pledging your personal estate to back private funds?”

“I need sixty thousand dollars put into a personal account in my name alone by two o’clock today,” I said.