I ended the call and placed the phone on the table.

My hand was steady, but my chest felt tight.

Sterling placed a hand on my shoulder.

“You did the right thing, Natalie,” he said.

“Your father would have been proud.”

“We aren’t finished yet,” I said, looking at Vance, who was still speaking rapidly into the phone.

Vance hung up the receiver and turned back to us.

“The judge is coming down to the courthouse to sign the warrants,” she said.

“We will have the federal marshals ready to move in one hour.”

“They will raid the Oakland headquarters first.”

“What about the Richards estate?” I asked.

“We will send a team there to secure Denise’s records,” Vance said.

“I want to be there,” I said.

“No, Colonel,” Vance said firmly.

“This is a federal operation now.”

“You are a witness, not an agent.”

“I need to ensure Denise doesn’t destroy the backup drives,” I said.

“She knows me.”

“She knows I won’t back down.”

Vance stared at me for a long moment, studying my face.

“If you go, you stay with the federal marshals,” she said.