“Dan’s brother, Tommy, took the mower into the creek bed while drunk,” I said.

“Three thousand dollars to replace the cracked engine block.”

“He promised he would pay us back the following Friday.”

“That was four years ago.”

Juliette folded her arms over her chest, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

“This is a sick game,” she said. “You’re trying to humiliate us.”

“I’m showing you the ledger,” I said.

“Every cent my husband and I spent to clean up after your holidays.”

“I have the bank statements showing the withdrawals we made from our savings to cover these bills.”

“And I have the promissory note right here.”

I pulled a single sheet of paper from the front pocket of the binder.

It was a formal agreement, printed on clean white paper.

It listed the total sum of thirty-eight thousand, four hundred and sixty dollars.

“Sign it,” I said, sliding a black ballpoint pen across the granite toward her.

“You will sign this, acknowledging the debt.”

“Then we will arrange a payment plan.”

Juliette looked at the pen as if it were a snake.