Chapter 17 — The Family Tears Itself Apart

When the defendants gave their formal statements, the family that had demanded a decade of absolute, unquestioning loyalty from me tore itself completely to pieces.

Bruno swore the entire vendor-kickback structure had been designed by his father.

Indigo swore under oath that it had all been Bruno’s idea, because Bruno was the one who understood corporate contracting.

Amber claimed, to anyone who would listen, that she was merely a dutiful housewife who had signed whatever her husband placed in front of her.

Three people who had stood shoulder to shoulder when the target was me now scrambled over one another in a frantic, undignified race to reach the prosecutors first and throw the other two under the wheels.