FRIDAY
9:14 A.M. — CALLOWAY RESIDENCE
ALLISON'S POV
Allison Croft Calloway was attempting to understand compound interest.
Attempting being the important word.
She sat at her desk surrounded by three notebooks, a calculator, two highlighters, and a cup of coffee that had gone cold approximately forty minutes earlier.
Her accounting workbook lay open.
Across the page, she'd written:
MONEY MAKES MONEY. WHY DOES MATH HAVE TO BE INVOLVED?
Her phone rang.
Simone.
Allison answered on speaker.
"If you're calling to distract me from studying, I love you."
"Wonderful. Put on something cute."
Allison blinked.
"Why?"
"We're going out."
"Where?"
"To see Sharon."
Allison sat upright.
"Sharon?"
"Yes. Sharon Morrison. Formerly obsessed with Anthony, currently obsessed with a six-month-old dictator named Mila."
Allison laughed.
"Why are we going?"
"Because she called me yesterday."
That surprised Allison.
"She called you?"
"Don't sound so shocked. I'm delightful."
