Chapter 3

Thomas waved a hand, indifferent.

"Look at what? At that old woman playing dead?"

"She's not worth the dirt in my eyes."

He rapped the table, impatient.

"Enough talk. Sign it."

"I don't have time to sit here wasting the whole night with you."

"My sister Chloe Henson's flying back today. I've got a welcome dinner to throw for her."

I looked at him, and the whole thing struck me as absurd.

"Fine."

I picked up the pen and signed my name on the agreement.

Thomas snatched the paper away at once and checked it over carefully.

"Smart of you."

He flicked the sheet, satisfied.

"Counselor, go handle the paperwork to drop the case."

He stood, looking down at me.

"Rita, from here on, even if you're starving in the street, don't come crawling to me."

I watched his back as he turned to go, my voice soft as a passing breeze.

"Thomas, I hope you sleep well tonight."

After Thomas left, they took the cuffs off me.

Because he'd dropped the case.

And because the five hundred thousand had never actually been transferred.

The police gave me a short talking-to and let me go.

When I walked out of the station, the sky had already gone dark.

I took out my phone.

The screen was blank. Not a single missed call.

I wandered the streets with nowhere to go.

Across town, Thomas sat in a private room at the most expensive restaurant in the city.

The table was crowded with rich, expensive dishes.

Chloe raised her glass of red wine, laughing so hard she was shaking.

"Big brother, congratulations!"

"You finally got rid of that gold digger!"

Thomas clinked his glass against hers, pleased with himself.

"Right? Didn't cost me a cent, and she walked out with nothing."

"Clean win, no downside."

Chloe took a sip and frowned a little, puzzled.

"But brother, is her mom really dead?"

"She always seemed like such a devoted daughter. If the woman were really dead, would she sign that fast?"

Thomas snorted.

"Dead, my ass. The whole thing was a setup."

"Think about it. If the woman were actually dead, would she sign that obediently?"

It clicked for Chloe.

"So that's it! God, that's disgusting!"

"Brother, you're so sharp. You saw through her little scheme in one look!"

The praise went straight to Thomas's head.

"Of course. You think my money's that easy to con out of me?"

He glanced at his watch, brow creasing slightly.

"By the way, why isn't Mom here yet?"

"Weren't we all supposed to do your welcome dinner tonight?"

Chloe pulled out her phone and checked it too.

"I've called Mom a bunch of times. Phone's been off the whole time."

"Maybe the signal's bad up in the mountains?"

"She said yesterday she was going up the back hill to pick some rare mushrooms. Wanted to make you a stew, build your strength back up."

Thomas waved it off, unconcerned.

"Forget her. The old lady loves fussing over that stuff."

"We'll just eat without her."

The two of them drank and toasted, having a fine time.

Well-fed and full of wine, Thomas paid the bill.

"Come on, I'll drive you home."

The car stopped in front of the villa.

Thomas got out, ready to help his sister with the luggage.

He'd just reached the front door.

"Thud!"

His foot caught something hard.

Thomas stumbled and nearly went down.

"Damn it, what the hell is that?"

He looked down. A battered bamboo basket.

It had already been kicked over.

Mushrooms in every color had scattered across the ground.

Thomas froze.

Chloe came over, saw the mushrooms on the ground, and pinched her nose in distaste.

"Ugh, what kind of job is the cleaning service doing? Dumping garbage right at the front door!"

Thomas stared at the basket on the ground, and an uneasiness he couldn't name rose in his chest.

Just then, the phone in his pocket started buzzing wildly.