He called at seven.
She was in the consultancy office — she had been staying later in the evenings recently, the specific quality of someone who was managing the beginning of a pregnancy with the same methodical attention she brought to everything and had decided that maintaining normal work rhythms for as long as possible was the correct approach.
“I need to ask you something,” Frank said when she answered. “Your honest opinion. Not the kind version — the accurate kind.”
“Tell me what you’re asking,” she said.
“There’s a position,” he said. “Financial compliance officer at a firm on the west side. Mid-sized — about sixty employees, legitimate operation, they do commercial lending.” He paused. “The owner knows about my history. The Meridian situation. The sobriety.” He paused again. “H
