Alejandro stepped out from behind a heavy square column near the archway, holding a thick white business envelope in his right hand.

Oscar followed two steps behind him with his leather briefcase under his arm.

“Take this, Elena,” Alejandro said, stepping right into my path.

I stopped three feet away and kept my hands resting on my purse strap.

“What’s in the envelope, Alejandro?”

“Two thousand dollars in cash,” he said, holding it out toward my coat.

“Unmarked bills.

You take it, you sign a full liability release, and we all walk away.”