“You’re working for him,” I said.

“I work with him,” Vance corrected.

“There is a difference.”

“Marcus runs a very profitable business.”

“A lot of that money goes back into this town.”

“Through me.”

“Through others.”

“It keeps the lights on.”

I felt a cold sweat break out on the back of my neck.

“And Thomas?” I asked.

“Thomas was getting greedy,” Vance said.

“He started asking for a larger cut of the land deals.”

“Then he started hiding things.”

“This ledger, for instance.”

Vance pointed at the yellow towel.

“Marcus didn’t even know Thomas had kept a duplicate record until Arthur told him.”

“Arthur?” I asked, confused.

“Arthur didn’t tell Marcus,” I said. “Arthur gave me the key to find it.”

“Arthur is an old fool who thinks he can play hero,” Vance said.

“But he talks too much.”

“He told a friend in town.”

“And that friend told me.”

“That’s how this town works, Kiera.”

“Everyone talks.”

“Except you, usually.”

“You just sell biscuits.”

“You should have stuck to biscuits.”

The door to the office opened behind me.

I turned around in the chair.