“I cannot believe he actually signed,” I said.

“He had no choice,” Lydia said. “Martin knew we had them cornered.”

“The evidence of the wire fraud was too clean.”

“He would have spent ten years in a federal penitentiary.”

Lydia reached into her bag and pulled out a copy of the signed agreement.

She placed it on the table in front of me.

“This is your copy,” she said.

“Keep it in a safe place.”

“I will,” I said.

“I should get to the hotel in town,” Lydia said, checking her watch.

“The storm is getting worse.”

“Thank you, Lydia,” I said. “For everything.”

“You did the hard work, Elena,” she said. “You survived.”

She hugged me briefly.

Her wool coat was warm and smelled of cedar.

I walked her to the door.

She stepped out into the pouring rain, her umbrella shielding her from the wind.

I locked the heavy wooden door behind her.

I slid the deadbolt into place.

The cottage was completely silent now, save for the rain.

I walked up the stairs to check on Harrison.

He had not stirred.