“A big one,” she said. “Dark windows. He keeps looking up at your windows.”

I let go of the button.

My heart did a quick, heavy thump against my ribs.

I walked to the living room window and pulled back the lace curtain.

The street below was grey under the overcast sky.

Sure enough, a black Lincoln was parked across the street, its engine idling.

A thin wisp of white exhaust curled from the tailpipe.

I couldn’t see the driver through the tinted glass.

Could it be Carl’s lawyer?

Or was it someone from the bank’s fraud department?

I felt a sudden chill.

Behind me, the basement door rattled again.

Carl was pounding on it now with a heavy tool.

“Mallerie!” he shouted. “Open this door right now!”

“Stop that noise, Carl!” I yelled back, walking into the hallway. “You’re going to disturb the tenants.”

“I don’t care about the tenants!” he roared. “You took my father’s money!”

“It’s my money now,” I said, standing right in front of the door. “Our money.”

“I’ll have you arrested,” he said, his voice shaking with rage.