It was leverage.

“Are you threatening to expose our business?” I asked.

“I’m reminding you we’ve all made compromises.”

“So have I,” I said.

“The difference is I’m done pretending mine didn’t hurt people.”

After he left, I forwarded the documents to Dana with instructions to find independent criminal counsel.

I preserved the original folder and a record of our meeting.

For years I’d let men like Walter handle the ugly parts of my empire.