“Because he left it in the glove box of my car, and the police just towed it to the municipal impound lot,” she said. “If his mother gets to it first, she’ll burn it.”

“Where is the impound lot?” I asked, my voice dropping to a whisper.

“The county yard near the shipyards,” Vanessa said. “Hurry, Clara. I think Patricia is already calling her lawyers to get the car released.”

The line went dead.

I stood in the dark kitchen, the cold glass of water still in my hand.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I set the glass down and dialed Robert Hayes.

He answered on the second ring, his voice crisp despite the late hour.

“Robert, we have a window,” I said.

I quickly explained Vanessa’s call and the location of the black ledger.

“I’m on it,” Robert said. “I’ll contact the sheriff’s department and file an emergency motion to impound the vehicle’s contents as evidence.”

“Can Patricia get to it tonight?” I asked.

“The yard is locked until eight tomorrow morning,” Robert replied. “I will have a deputy there with a preservation order before the gates open.”