That, more than the handcuffs, felt like justice.

Chapter 19 — The Collapse

The fallout, over the following months, was swift and total.

Facing overwhelming digital evidence, three independent forensic audits, and high-definition video of their own breaking-and-entering, both Julian and Tessa accepted guilty pleas to federal racketeering and wire-fraud charges.

There was, in the end, nothing to fight; the case was airtight, because I had built it to be, over months, with the full care of my profession.

Julian was sentenced to eight years in a federal penitentiary.