Chapter 9
It all happened fast after that.
Richard and Marcus were arrested. The third man too.
The evidence I recovered nailed them. Fraud. Conspiracy. Threats. Attempted kidnapping.
Arthur Vance sat in his office later that day. Looking older. Tired.
"They're my brothers," he said quietly. "I would have given them anything. Why this?"
"Because they wanted it all," I said. "And they were willing to destroy anyone to get it."
He looked at me.
"You risked everything. For us. For a town that barely knew you."
"I did it for the truth," I said. "And for Lila. And for everyone they would have hurt next."
He stood up. Walked around his desk. Handed me an envelope.
Inside was a check. More money than I could earn in ten years.
I set it down.
"I don't want your money," I said.
He looked surprised.
"Then what do you want?"
"Fix the things your brothers broke," I said. "Clear the debts they used to control people. Help the families they threatened. Be the kind of man this town can trust."
He stared at me for a long time.
May you like
Then he nodded slowly.
"I will," he said. "Starting today."
