If she was going to spend her job on this, and she’d decided she was willing to, then she would spend it on the one shot that could not be talked around.

Evidence, in a public room, with witnesses, at the moment of maximum consequence.\n\nSo Hattie kept sweeping.

She kept nodding.

She kept portioning out her own silence like a woman rationing matches, waiting for the one dry night when a single flame would take the whole thing down.

She didn’t have to wait long.

The lawyers were coming the week after Thanksgiving.

Chapter 9 — Thanksgiving