"The doctor gave my six-year-old twins ten days to live, but that afternoon a penniless woman appeared at my gates claiming she knew how to save them—and she knew a secret about their mother that no one should have known.

I called Crosby at nine the next morning.

Aldric was in the room.

So was Prescott.

So was a federal investigator named Carla Reyes, who had arrived at the estate at seven and reviewed everything we had over two cups of coffee without changing her expression once.

"Lawson." Crosby answered on the second ring.

Warm as always.

"Have you had time to think?"

"I have," I said.

"I'll sign the Lakeshore portfolio."

A pause.

Satisfaction moving through the silence like something slow and heavy.

"I'm glad to hear it.

I'll have my attorney—"

"I have one condition," I said.

"I want the full name of the specialist.

Before I sign anything.

I want to verify her credentials myself."

"Of course.

Completely reasonable." He was already moving, already certain.

"Her name is Dr.

Miriam Okafor.

She practices out of—"

"Crosby." I kept my voice level.

"I also want you to tell me the name of the compound your subsidiary manufactured and installed in my children's ventilation system fourteen months ago."

Silence.

Not the comfortable silence of a man adjusting his approach.

A different kind.

The silence of a man who has just understood that the ground beneath him is not where he thought it was.

"I don't know what you're—"

"Patent number 7-7-4-dash-Mercer-Holdings-dash-2021," I said.

"Registered to Vane Integrated Solutions.

Installed by Hartwell Environmental under Aldric's approval.

Lab-confirmed in my children's air supply as of yesterday morning." I paused.

"Aldric is sitting across from me.

He's been very helpful."

Nothing from Crosby.

Not a word.

"Agent Reyes from the federal financial crimes unit is also here," I said.

"She has the payment records from your holding company to Aldric's account.

She has Genevieve's documentation.

She has the lab results.

She has a recording of our call yesterday in which you told me my children were running out of time." I set my hand flat on the desk.

"She'd like to speak with you.

But first I wanted to give you the chance to say something.

Anything.

Because after I hand this phone to her, I don't imagine you'll have many more opportunities."

A long, long silence.

Then Crosby said, very quietly: "You should have just sold me the properties, Lawson."

"Hand the phone to Agent Reyes," I said.

"Now."

I passed it across the desk.

Carla Reyes took it without hurry.

She identified herself, stated the date and time, and began speaking in the calm, precise language of someone who had done this many times before and found it entirely unremarkable.

Prescott put his hand briefly on my shoulder.