Rendal ran to Hale by morning.
Mercer learned it from Wren, who arrived at the warehouse before the sun had fully cleared the rooftops, out of breath and pale. He hadn't bothered to fix his collar.
"Hale called an emergency meeting at dawn," Wren said, catching his breath against the doorframe. "Just him, Rendal, and two of his men. I wasn't invited, but I was in the outer office delivering papers when Rendal arrived. He looked like he hadn't slept."
Mercer's stomach dropped. "What did you hear."
"Not much through a closed door. Enough to know Rendal was talking fast and Hale wasn't interrupting him." Wren stepped inside and shut the door behind him. "Whatever you and Isla did, Mercer, Rendal folded before your three days were up."
Mercer sent word to Isla within the hour, and she arr
