My attorney wanted a written statement. The reporters wanted a confession. I gave them records. At eleven the next morning, Moretti Blooms was closed to customers for exactly one hour. I stood behind the front counter with my attorney beside me and the independ

The ledger photograph was real. At least, the part we could verify was. My accountant matched the merchant ID, Vela abbreviation, and Carlo's approval code against the records we already had. The handwriting pattern on the page also matched the three lines I had seen through

Sofia sent the address nine minutes later. A private house on the North Shore. I read it twice. Then I forwarded it to Mikhail. Not because he owned the rescue. Because I wanted him in it. That difference mattered. Mikhail called immediately.

"Anton is verifying the property."