Inside the box lay gasoline-soaked rags, incomplete insurance documents, and charred children’s drawings—evidence of intent and cover-up. Beneath them, Manny found a broken collar tag engraved with Max’s dog’s name. His breath caught. Vale had tried erasing everything that could implicate him.
A harsh voice split the silence. Vale stood at the edge of the yard, shovel gripped tightly, fury twisting his features. “You have no right to be here,” he shouted, stepping forward. His presence radiated raw desperation. Manny realized Vale had come to reclaim the box, or eliminate the witness who found it.