The neon sign for V& E Repairs and Recovery buzzed with a rhythmic hum.
I sat behind my desk, my fingers flying across the keyboard. On the monitor, I was currently "cooking" the most expensive meal of my life. I had three different spreadsheets open: the one the IRS would see (a struggling small business), the one our "legitimate" parts suppliers saw, and the real one.
I was currently routing sixty thousand dollars from a "salvaged" Mercedes sale through four shell companies I’d set up using my father’s old offshore protocols. It was a thrill, in a cold, mathematical way.
“Eloise! Hand me the torque specs for that 2025 Porsche block!” Viper’s voice boomed from the back, followed by the whine of a pneumatic drill.
I grabbed the tablet, printed the sheet, and walked into the back.
Th
