A steel cabinet stood against the back wall.
Beside it rested a single wooden chair.
On the chair was a white envelope.
For Evelyn.
I had begun to feel as though Daniel were guiding us from year to year, leaving lights along a road he knew I would one day travel.
Inside the envelope was another letter.
Evelyn,
If the compass brought you here, the situation is worse than I hoped. The cabinet contains original ledgers and recordings. Do not take them to the insurance company. Do not give them to Victor Hale.
He named Victor directly.
The warning had been written before Victor entered my life.
Priya opened the steel cabinet.
Inside were twelve accounting ledgers, several hard drives, and a portable recorder.
There was also a photograph.
Daniel stood beside three men at a charity dinner.
One was Victor.
One was our former accountant.
The third was Judge Malcolm Reeves, who had approved several disputed property transfers in our county.
