When My Son Reported a Theft, I Went Looking and Found the Real Ledger in Our Dallas Office

“I was just brewing a fresh pot of decaf herbal tea for the table,” Valerie said, nodding at a red porcelain teapot on the counter.

I looked down at the curved lip of the red teapot’s spout.

A single bead of clear liquid hung from the metal rim, thick and heavy, refusing to fall onto the granite below.

“I’ll stick with cold tap water,” I said, taking the glass from her left hand.

“Herbal tea helps with morning fatigue and nighttime tremors,” Valerie said, turning her thin gold ring around her right middle finger.

“Who told you I had nighttime tremors?” I asked.