Three Decades of Pretending Come to an End in a Military Holding Cell

“Isn’t the maximum penalty what we’re aiming for?”

I turned away from the glass.

“The federal restitution is enough, Agent Hayes.

I’m not going to punish him just for the sake of punishing him.”

Hayes clicked his tongue once more.

“He stole your house.”

“He stole a house that was going to default on its property taxes by December,” I said.

“The federal court will seize it as an asset to repay the fraudulent business advance.”