Within fifteen minutes, Corbett was seen leaving the boutique with a large shopping bag and heading toward his apartment building. Sasha spoke into her recording device. “Subject is returning to apartment after two-hour lunch at San Pietro with person yet to be identified. Photos sent at fourteen hundred hours.” Sasha pedaled her way between the cars and settled outside the luxury apartment building, waiting for Corbett’s next move.

An hour later, he exited the building, dressed in a pair of khaki slacks, a button-down shirt, and a gray cashmere blazer, carrying his new Bottega Veneta duffel bag. He had opted for the four-thousand-dollar bag instead of the briefcase when he had returned to the store. It was much more practical, he had told himself, and a lot more noticeable. He hailed a cab, and Sasha pedaled toward it, dodging other cyclists, cabs, Ubers, and buses. The taxi made a right turn down Lexington Avenue and pulled over at Fifty-Ninth Street. Corbett got out and got in line for the Hampton Jitney. A young, well-dressed collegiate-looking kid walked up to him. They shook hands and exchanged cordial greetings and eventually swapped manila envelopes. The young man smiled and nodded and waved as he walked away. Corbett put the manila envelope he had been given in his new bag. He found the smell of the Italian leather intoxicating.

Sasha thought it likely that what she had just witnessed was a drug deal, so she took a quick photo of the young man and hit the speed-dial number for her helicopter pilot pal. “Jason? Hey. You busy? Want to give me a lift to East Hampton?”

It would take Corbett almost three hours on the Jitney. The chopper would take thirty minutes. That would give her plenty of time to grab her gear and meet up with Jason. Once they landed, she would rent a car, wait at the Jitney’s first stop in Southampton, and follow the luxury bus until Corbett got off.

* * *

Just as Avery Snowden landed in Aspen, his phone buzzed. Sasha had sent photos and some info. Avery immediately recognized the mystery man in the photos. It was Carlton Leffert, CEO and part owner of Leffert Industries. That’s odd, Avery thought to himself. Why would someone like Leffert be having a very expensive lunch with Corbett? I guess we’ll find out.