My phone rang.

It was my attorney, Rebecca Shaw.

“Tom,” she said, “do not let anyone leave with those papers. We have a much bigger problem.”

Rebecca arrived before Derek.

She photographed the deed, sent a copy to the county recorder, and asked Deputy Mills to preserve Ron’s copy as evidence.

Then she pulled me aside.

“Someone recorded this deed last Friday. Yesterday, a lender received an application to borrow against the cabin.”

“How much?”

“Three hundred twenty thousand dollars.”

For a moment, all I heard was lake water against the dock.

Derek arrived twenty minutes later with Claire.

My daughter stepped out crying.

“Dad, please don’t do this in front of everyone.”

I held up the deed.

“Did you sign this?”

She looked at Derek.

That answered enough.