“I deserved more than he paid me!”
The words burst from him.
Victor’s face changed.
Harold realized too late that he had spoken too freely.
I kept my voice calm.
“How much did you take?”
Harold looked away.
“How much?”
“At first? Almost nothing.”
“And later?”
“He was going to expose us!” Harold shouted. “He had the ledgers. He had recordings. He was gathering farmers.”
Judge Reeves stepped toward him.
“Stop talking.”
Harold pointed at the retired judge.
“You signed the orders! You approved the foreclosures!”
“And you created the false accounts.”
Victor raised both hands.
“This conversation is over.”
“No,” I said. “It is finally beginning.”
He turned toward me.
“Where is the ledger?”
“Safe.”
“Give it to me.”
“Tell me what happened to Daniel.”
Clara gripped my arm.
We had agreed not to ask that directly.
But I could not leave without knowing.
Victor’s expression became unreadable.
