The hearing officer raised his hand, cutting the attorney off mid-sentence.

“I’m issuing an immediate administrative freeze on all commercial accounts held by Vance Sub-Contracting,” the officer announced.

“All pending legal injunctions against Whitmore Construction are dissolved as of twelve o’clock noon.”

Arthur stared at the examiner’s wooden gavel as it struck the marble block with one sharp crack.

“Full restitution of eighteen hundred dollars in back pay and four hundred dollars in security deposits will be paid to Martha Miller within forty-eight hours,” the officer added.

“Whitmore Construction is cleared of all operational wrongdoing.”