“The bank was going to foreclose on the commercial lot if we didn’t access Jake’s military trust.”

I leaned forward, my hand trembling, and turned the volume knob down so the officers outside couldn’t hear.

But the little red light on the recorder kept flashing, capturing every single word.

“And the probate judge?” Logan’s voice asked on the tape.

“He signed off because I told him the body was unidentifiable,” Walter said.

“The state has him registered as deceased.”

“We split the trust sixty-forty, Logan.”

Beside me, Jake’s hands clenched into tight fists in his lap.

“They did it,” he whispered. “They actually did it.”

“Step out of the car, Jake,” Captain Vance repeated.

His heavy boots crunched on the packed snow as he approached the passenger side.

“This is an active federal investigation, Captain,” Hayes said, leaning toward her open window.

“You are interfering with a material witness.”

“I am executing a military apprehension order for insubordination and desertion,” Vance replied.

“Your investigation does not supersede a direct command from the base.”

The local officer pulled Hayes’s door open.