Beneath another name

broke at

Paul's

ious press whispe

unt on a fringe news s

ged Whistleblower Connects Local

ding on social media. Not Sarah's face not yet but enough context to stir memori

el M

gers trembling around her phone. It was messy half fac

vidence of government collusion, corporate land fraud, and targeted violence. Law enforcement has

piece of

ore bes

wasn

kno

ll

s early. She wants imm

ne else. Someone

tion across the street. A boy rode his bik

et listening, everything she'd built in t

ing on doors of old neighbors, digging into school records, finding blurry photos of

hone

Pa

he

they'd been u

answ

bother say

coming

ho

e not real. I know Rourke

e are

l give you everything files, recordings, everythi

ooked a

ering the receiver. "He says so

sweat. We need the files. Tell

yed the

agr

t made both of their stomach

ed just be

rched grass, construction trailers, and the bon

he old driveway, hunched in a coat too

un

nds," he said, eyes dartin

oser. "You said

hed into

ut a thu

s from meetings you'll never find records of. Rourke thought h

h to

oked

ce they know you have i

us now?"

twisted into

y. But your face-your voice-it's been in my head fo

ned to

hen s

om ghosts, Rachel

, and Ellis met in a mo

er her eyes. She looked li

d her the t

p, scanned the folders, then sh

to sink five car

fed. "Try

y general's office," she said.

e leak blew the lid off. They know someo

met he

hey come

didn't

stop h

Sarah received a t

d have sta

d was a

and Ellis ente

rom a d

gh a

howed

ent

whispered. "That wasn't a wa

the phone, dialing so

care if they're not ready. She goes publi

her. "Are you o

re going to kill her. And if she's in the

was quiet, b

o

e next two da

ased, direct but measured. She refused to sound like a victim. She would not le

national reporter she once blackmailed into silence. Paul cleared her travel, s

uld feel the n

s broken into. A contact in the city we

e slid under Pa

s a singl

kill what it

it like it

en she

just about l

as per