The air inside was warm and smelled of fried onions and maple syrup.

Rachel slid a copy of the local business weekly across the table.

“Look at page four,” she said, taking a sip of her water.

There was a small article about the regulatory board’s investigation into Scott’s former employer.

Scott’s name was listed near the bottom, identified as a person of interest in the theft of proprietary data.

“He’s ruined, Avery,” Rachel said quietly.

“Everyone in the industry is talking about it. Nobody will hire him now.”

“He did it to himself,” I said, looking at his name in print.

“He thought he was untouchable because of his grandmother’s money.”

“Have you spoken to him?” she asked.

“He called me twelve times yesterday,” I said. “I didn’t answer.”

“What does he want?”

“He wants me to sign off on a home equity loan to pay his criminal defense lawyer,” I said.

Rachel laughed, a sharp sound that drew a glance from the waitress.

“He really is delusional,” she said.

“He thinks I’m still the woman who will save him from his own mistakes,” I said.