Forty Thousand Dollars and the Deed to Maple Avenue Bakery

at me through her bifocals. “If the balance is not cleared, the property goes to public auction.”

She slid a printed tax receipt across the counter, her finger pointing to the red delinquent stamp at the bottom. The total was larger than any reserve we had left.

“Is there no administrative appeal?” I asked.

“Not at this stage,” she said, her voice dropping continue reading …