Chapter 19 - The New Blueprint
Six months later.
The autumn leaves were turning bright gold across Boston Common.
I stood inside the newly renovated brick loft I had purchased in the North End. The exposed brick walls, wide hardwood floors, and sunlight streaming through arched windows smelled of fresh paint and new beginnings.
My new business sign was mounted beside the doorway: Vance Independent Financial Consulting.
No shell companies. No forged signatures. Just hard, honest work helping small business owners protect themselves from corporate predatory audits.
My phone chimed on the desk. A notification from the state Department of Corrections:
Inmate Update: Marcus Hayes – Transferred to Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury.
Inmate Update: Elena Vance – Sentencing hearing finalized: 4 years, State Women's Facility.
I closed the notification without feeling a single spike of adrenaline or anger. They were just names on a database now.
A knock sounded at the open office door.
Carter stood in the entryway holding a housewarming plant in one hand and a box of fresh cannoli in the other.
"Office hours open yet, Boss?" he smiled.
"For you? Always," I said, walking over to welcome him.
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