He walked down the carpeted center aisle without a glance at Vance or Lauren.

“I’m also ordering an immediate freeze on every commercial account held by Mr.

Miller’s development company, pending formal referral to the county prosecutor,” Judge Harrison added, looking over his glasses at the court reporter.

Vance scooped his legal pads into his arms and hurried out the side door into the clerk’s office.

I leaned back against the wooden bench rail, tapping my ring finger twice on my watch face out of habit.

The hands said five minutes to eleven.