One of them had a small metal tag attached to it with the number 304.

“That’s for a safety deposit box,” Denise said.

“Probably at the old Girard Trust Bank down the street.”

I looked back at the forged signature on the other document.

“They framed her to take her share,” I said.

“If she was convicted of grand larceny, the partnership agreement had a clause that stripped her of her rights.”

Denise nodded, pointing her pen to a paragraph on the second page.

“Right here,” she said.

“Section twelve. Any partner convicted of a felony involving the business forfeits their entire stake to the remaining partner.”

The cruelty of it made my chest tighten.

They didn’t just ruin her reputation.

They stole her inheritance, her livelihood, and her future.

“She was going to the District Attorney with the proof of their skimming,” I said.

“Marcus found out, forged the theft charges, and had her arrested before she could deliver this.”

“And he kept the envelope,” Denise said, looking around the dark office.

“As a trophy. Or maybe as insurance.”