“We don’t have this money anymore, Mom,” Dan said. “We spent our savings keeping up with you.”

The blue light from Dan’s phone flashed again.

He didn’t read the message aloud this time. He just held the screen up for everyone to see.

It was a photo of the front gate, illuminated by the red and blue flashing lights of a sheriff’s cruiser.

“They’re waiting, Mom,” Sarah said, her voice cold and steady now.

“If you don’t pay Annie right now, I’m opening the gate myself.”

Juliette looked at the phone, then at Sarah, then at me.

For the first time since I had known her, her shoulders slumped slightly.

She reached into her expensive leather handbag sitting on the counter.

She pulled out a small, leather-bound checkbook and a heavy gold pen.

“This is extortion,” Juliette whispered, her fingers trembling slightly as she uncapped the pen.

“No,” I said, my voice steady. “It’s just the bill.”

She looked at the paper with the final number, her eyes darting over the figures.

She began to write, her pen scratching loudly against the paper in the quiet kitchen.