Camera flashes caught Valeria on her knees among the forged reports.
Dante pushed through the reporters toward me.
People moved when they recognized him. He reached for his phone before he reached me.
"I'll handle her," he said. His thumb found the encrypted call screen. "This ends now."
The encrypted call screen waited under his thumb. One order would put Valeria in a private cell where no court would see her.
He had called it protection when guards followed me to appointments and she managed my medicine.
"No. You won't."
I met the eyes of the Gendarmerie commander standing near the doorway. I gave a single, sharp nod.
Two armed officers passed Dante and pulled Valeria to her feet.
"Valeria Gallo," the commander announced in clipped, formal French, "you are under arrest for attem
