Sloane held the green postal card under the brass desk lamp.

She ran her index finger over the red ink stamped across the center of the card.

“Refused by addressee,” Sloane read aloud.

She turned the slip over to look at the signature line on the back.

“This is your handwriting, Grant,” Sloane said.

“You signed your own full name right beneath the refusal stamp.”

Grant cleared his throat and took half a step back toward the cold stone fireplace.

“My office staff handled hundreds of certified letters every week during the merger,” Grant said.