“But I need something from you first,” she said.

“I don’t have time for negotiations, Brooke,” I said, watching Arthur pace near his car.

“My house,” Brooke said, her voice suddenly desperate. “The bank is going to foreclose on my cottage next week because Gavin took a second mortgage out on it.”

“That’s your problem,” I said.

“I will give you everything you need to put Gavin in prison for the rest of his life,” she said.

“But you have to pay off my mortgage. You have to save my home.”

I looked at Evelyn, who was watching me closely.

“Let me think about it,” I said.

“There’s no time!” Brooke screamed. “He’s at the downtown restaurant right now, packing up the physical ledgers.”

The line went dead.

I lowered the phone and looked at the three people standing in the rain.

“Gavin is at the restaurant,” I told them.

Arthur took a step toward his SUV. “If he gets the ledgers, we’re all ruined.”

“Not me,” Evelyn said, tucking the plastic envelope back inside her coat.

“You two are going to stay right here,” Evelyn said to Helen and Arthur.