He opened the red binder and handed me two formal legal notices printed on heavy cream paper.

“These are the final debt acceleration decrees and the immediate eviction warrants for all unauthorized commercial tenants.”

I held the heavy paper in my hands, feeling the sharp embossed seal of the state court under my thumb.

“If you sign these now,” Samuel said quietly, “Marcus will post them at the plaza gate at dawn on Monday.”

“Thirty-two members of his family are coming here on Easter Sunday,” I said, looking down at the crisp black print.

“They’re coming to humiliate me.”