# Chapter 04 Complicate-Don't-Resolve Audit

- COMPLICATES — cover story: `"That's a real first version"` seems like a save but makes the lie memorable and repeatable.
- COMPLICATES — Ruth suspicion: `"I didn't ask what she owed"` refuses Theo's clean professional answer and points at imbalance instead.
- COMPLICATES — scarf thread: `"Tuesday. That was the deal"` prevents immediate object cleanup.
- COMPLICATES — Odile explanation: Theo starts `"About Odile"` but chooses logistics; the real explanation remains deferred.

Strongest resolution-candidate considered: the how-met story could have resolved the table's curiosity, but it creates later consistency obligations and Ruth evidence.

Chapter verdict: COMPLICATES-NOT-RESOLVES.

REVISION ORDERS: none.
