“The price of Minitab,” she said, tapping the bag. “$5,430.”

You pushed the bag across the table. She didn’t count it. Just slid it under her coat.

The subject line in your inbox read simply: — no caps, no signature, no urgency. Just those three words.

“You’re late,” she said without looking up. “Sit down.”

“No. That’s the cost of not losing everything. That’s the cost of a second chance. That’s the cost of knowing that the person who came to this booth before you—a plant manager in Ohio—didn’t pay. He thought he could out-Excel the problem. Three months later, his line shut down. He now sells RV insurance.”

“I know what you’re trying to solve. The R-chart is lying to you because your subgroup size is wrong. Meet me at the diner on Route 9. Bring $5,430 in cash. Not a penny more or less. —M”