The rain started before dawn.
Damian noticed it only when the windows of his office blurred into streaks of gray, the city beyond dissolving into motion and shadow. He had not slept. The board vote loomed hours away, yet numbers and politics no longer occupied his mind.
The audit report lay open on his desk.
One name circled repeatedly.
Leonard Hale.
Former Senior Fire Investigator. Lead responder assigned to the Blackwood Memorial incident.
Forced into retirement eight months after the fire.
Official reason: health concerns.
Unofficially, the file felt wrong.
Too clean. Too brief. Too final.
Grant stood nearby, reviewing documents. “His pension was accelerated,” he said. “Full benefits despite incomplete service years.”
“A payout,” Damian murmured.
Grant nodded. “Someone wante
