It was a map of every politician, judge, and union leader who had ever taken a bribe in this city.

The hard drive hummed softly, a warm vibration under my fingertips.

The progress bar hit one hundred percent, and the screen flashed green.

I ejected the external drive, slipped it into my coat pocket, and closed the laptop.

A sudden flash of light cut through the darkness of the front room.

It was not lightning.

It was the sweep of high beams bouncing off the wet pine trees at the edge of my driveway.

I stood perfectly still in the dark hallway, listening.

The sound of a heavy diesel engine rumbled through the floorboards.

It was a single vehicle, driving slowly up the unpaved road toward the cottage.

I moved to the living room window, keeping myself behind the heavy linen curtain.

A black Mercedes SUV pulled to a stop at the base of my porch stairs.

The headlights cut out, leaving only the amber parking lights burning in the rain.

The driver’s side door opened.

A man stepped out into the downpour, holding a large black umbrella over his head.