He pulled it open.

Inside, there was no check.

There was only a copy of a federal subpoena and a printout of bank transaction logs.

Ethan stared at the pages, his face slowly losing all its color.

“What is this?” he whispered.

“That is the paper trail,” a voice said from the entryway.

We all turned.

Special Agent Vance walked into the dining room.

She wore a dark blue suit, her gold federal badge clipped to her belt.

Behind her, two men in matching dark jackets stepped into the room.

One of them stood near the door to the kitchen, blocking the exit.

The other stood near the hallway.

Linda gasped, her hand flying to her throat.

“Who are you?” Linda demanded, her voice shrill.

“What is the meaning of this intrusion?”

“I am Special Agent Vance with the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” she said.

She showed her credentials, holding them steady in front of Linda’s face.

“We are here regarding an active investigation into illegal gambling operations and interstate wire fraud.”

Ryan backed up a step, his heel hitting the sideboard.