The four of them entered the banquet hall for the ceremony forty minutes later. The affair was black tie, but two of them wore street clothes. Right after Ridley had helped Rocco put on his tie, he’d actually taken it off of him.
Sawyer started things off, when his turn to speak came. “We want to change up the program a little. I’d like to invite Rocco Maroni and Ridley Cumberland to join me up here now.” He waited for a smattering of applause to fade from the obviously confused crowd. “They’re calling me a hero—for writing checks, basically. I found a way to take a little money and make it a lot. I give back. Why wouldn’t I?” Sawyer shrugged. “My father was killed in the line of duty during a hostage situation. These two…” He nodded toward Rocco and Ridley, who had joined him on the smal
