Witness Protection

Witness protection, Ruiz explained, was not a movie phrase.

In Briar Glen, it meant moving Elaine to her sister's condo, telling Marcy to sleep at her son's, putting Lila in a motel under a name nobody liked, and asking Tessa whether Daniel could tolerate a hospital room change without punching a chaplain.

"He will try," Tessa said.

Nora listened from Ruiz's desk while signing the formal request to revive Miles's hearing. Her hand did not shake until the last page.

Claimant signature: Nora Vale.

Reason: disputed death record, beneficiary conflict, suspected assignment fraud.

She signed because Miles had opened the door and died before walking through it. She signed because Sophie had said finish it. She signed because Judith had turned help into a weapon, and Nora was done letting weapons keep friendly names.

Ruiz took the papers. "Once this is filed, there is no quiet version."

"There hasn't been."

Brooke, now officially unemployed, stood by the bulletin board studying the timeline. "Harbor Union will schedule a preliminary session fast if they want control."

"Can they block us?" Nora asked.

"They can try to narrow scope."

"To what?"

"Whether your claim pays. Not whether their old records killed people."

Nora looked at the death certificate copies on the board.

"Then we make those the same question."

Ruiz's desk phone rang. She answered, listened, and wrote two words on a sticky note: Greyhaven fire.

Brooke leaned in.

"Greyhaven Asset Services warehouse?" Ruiz said into the phone.

Nora stood.

Greyhaven held vendor records. Equipment orders. Salvage payments. Maybe the car trail. Maybe Miles's first death staging proof.

Ruiz hung up. "Fire department says electrical."

Brooke's expression went flat. "They always say electrical first."

Nora reached for her coat.

Ruiz blocked her path. "You are not going to an active fire scene."

"Then tell me who is."