There was a green smear at the top edge of the leather, faint as a thumbprint, and I kept my eyes off it.

“One entry stamp on the daily ledger doesn’t match the garrison ink formula.

The tag board is short three brass tags.

I need to know who authorized the transfer.”

Harmon leaned back and picked up a silver fountain pen.

He tapped the cap on the corner of the blotter, four soft clicks, then set the pen down.

“Clerical,” he said.

“A pad dries out, a clerk re-inks it wrong, and it comes out green.