“Wait a minute,” Brenner said. “There’s still her furniture. It’s mostly trash, but—”

“You will take the twelve thousand, or I will have my firm file an injunction for illegal eviction before the courts close today,” Paul said, not looking up from his screen. “We will tie you up in litigation until you are bankrupt.”

Brenner swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple moving under his stubbled throat.

“Fine,” Brenner spat. “Give me the money.”

Paul tapped the screen one last time.

“I have initiated a direct wire to the account listed on your public LLC registration,” Paul said. “Sign here.”

He extended the tablet and the stylus toward Brenner.

Brenner took the stylus with dirty fingers and scribbled his name on the glass.

“We are done here, Mr. Brenner,” Paul said, taking the tablet back. “If you contact anyone associated with this family again, you will hear from my office.”

Brenner looked at his phone, which buzzed in his pocket.

He pulled it out, stared at the screen, and a slow, greedy smile spread across his face.