“What do we do about the renters?” I asked.
“Nothing impulsive,” Rachel said. “Do not change locks. Do not shut off utilities. Do not throw out property. We handle each tenancy according to Washington law.”
That was when I understood how much damage Vanessa had created.
Three strangers had paid thousands of dollars in good faith. They were not my enemies. They had been deceived too.
At nine, I gathered them in the kitchen.
Caleb came down first. The other two were Priya Shah, a software tester, and Jordan Ellis, a restaurant manager. All three looked terrified I was about to put their belongings on the curb.
“I’m not doing that,” I told them. “You’ll receive everything in writing. Until my lawyer sorts this out, nobody is being forced onto the street today.”
Priya exhaled so sharply I heard it across the table.
Then Jordan said, “There’s something you should see.”
