At 8:12, Lily woke.
She emerged from the office carrying her stuffed rabbit.
Her hair pointed in four directions.
She looked at Daniel.
“You look terrible.”
“Good morning.”
“Was that the fancy lady?”
“Yes.”
“She’s pretty.”
Daniel opened the refrigerator.
“Milk?”
“She likes you.”
He stopped.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You were asleep.”
“I woke up when the car started.”
Daniel stared.
Lily climbed onto the stool near the counter.
“She was looking at you weird.”
“What does weird mean?”
“Like in movies.”
“You’re seven.”
“I know movies.”
Daniel poured milk.
“No more movies.”
“Did you kiss her?”
He nearly dropped the glass.
“No.”
Lily looked disappointed.
“Why?”
“Eat something.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Daniel placed cereal in front of her.
“It is today.”
Lily ate.
Three spoonfuls later she noticed the foreclosure notice.
Her face changed.
“Is that the bad paper?”
Daniel looked at her.
Children noticed everything.
“Yes.”
“Are we losing the garage?”
“No.”
That lie came too easily.
Lily stirred the cereal.
“You said Mom helped make the sign.”
Daniel looked toward the front wall.
MERCER AUTO WORKS.
Rachel had painted the original lettering herself.
Daniel had argued the letters should be blue.
Rachel chose red.
She won.
The sign had survived twelve Chicago winters.
“Yes.”
Lily looked down.
“We can’t lose it.”
Daniel sat beside her.
“We’re not losing anything today.”
“That’s not what I said.”
He exhaled.
“No.”
She waited.
“I’m working on it.”
“Does fancy lady own it?”
Daniel nearly laughed.
“Apparently her company owns the loan.”
“So she’s the bank?”
“Not exactly.”
“Can she take it?”
Daniel looked at the foreclosure notice.
“Yes.”
Lily considered this.
“Then definitely don’t kiss her.”
Daniel laughed so suddenly it hurt.
At 9:20, Victoria Hale entered the forty-third floor of Hale Meridian Capital without changing clothes.
Her executive assistant stood when she saw her.
“Good God.”
Victoria kept walking.
“What?”
“You look like you haven’t slept.”
“I haven’t.”
“You’re still wearing last night’s dress.”
“Yes.”
“Did something happen?”
Victoria stopped.
Her assistant, Naomi Chen, had worked beside her for nine years.
There were few people on Earth who could ask Victoria personal questions without consequences.
Naomi was one.
Victoria held out the foreclosure notice she had photographed before leaving Daniel's garage.
“Find this asset.”
Naomi read it.
“Special Assets Three.”
“Yes.”
“Commercial real estate.”
“Apparently.”
Naomi looked up.
“What happened?”
“Find it.”
“Victoria.”