The login screen for the Mercer joint operating account loaded slowly, the little blue circle spinning on the white background. I scanned the ledger, my eyes running down the columns of monthly expenses that I had memorized over the last three years. There was the seven thousand four hundred dollar mortgage payment, the eight hundred fifty dollar country club dues, and the twelve hundred dollar monthly lease for Vivian’s luxury SUV.
Then my eyes stopped at a line entry from three days ago.
A debit of five thousand dollars had been cleared under the label miscellaneous administrative adjustment.
There was no transaction number, no recipient name, and no corresponding invoice in the digital tax folder.
My own consulting firm, Emma Mercer Advisory LLC, operates on strict quarterly cycles, and any unexplained change in our joint cash flow directly impacts my ability to project our tax liabilities.
The door to the office clicked open, and Daniel stepped inside, holding a glass of water.
“Still working?” he asked, setting the glass on the corner of my desk.
