Ethel turned in the seat to face him. “Right about what?”

“That was Frank. He came across a report of a damaged crossing bar at the parking deck near Barnes & Noble and Whole Foods, not far from your house. He called from the site. Looks like we might have a match for the damage and paint streak on Finch’s car. Also, the top deck has tire tracks where someone laid rubber in a fast exit. I’ve authorized our forensic team to collect a sample for analysis.”

“CCTV footage?”

“Not on the deck. He’s going to check the surrounding businesses. But if it was Finch, what was he doing without backup?”

Ethel thought about the implications of why Jonathan might have chosen to go it alone. “Has your Richmond office said what else he was doing in addition to temporary protective detail?”

“No. I’m going to place that call now. I’d ask you to forget whatever you hear, but I know I’m wasting my breath.”

Ethel opened her small purse and extracted a pair of earbuds and her cell phone. “If it makes you feel any better, I’ll leave you for the company of Tony Bennett.” She scrolled to her playlist, selected her favorite album, Tony Bennett—The Classics, then angled the screen for Bradshaw to appreciate the album’s artwork. She hit Play. When Bradshaw looked away, she paused the track, quickly activated another app, and turned her phone into an audio recorder.

Bradshaw placed his call, but before it connected, Ethel’s screen flashed with a text message from Warren Hitchcock:

Serial number matches counterfeit ring busted in upstate New York last year. Majority bogus currency confiscated and held for evidence. You got a bad bill.

Ethel quickly texted:

Humor me. Check bills physical location on the QT.

She returned her screen to Tony Bennett and gathered from listening to Bradshaw’s side of the conversation that Jonathan Finch had been involved in some joint operation with the FBI, an operation that involved cryptocurrency.

Bradshaw concluded with three words. “Send his report.”

Ethel cut the recorder and joined Tony still longing for his heart left in San Francisco.

Twenty minutes later, the text message came from Hitchcock:

What’s going on, Ethel? That counterfeit money is missing.

Chapter 11

Jesse followed Ethel’s instructions by hiding the bulk of the counterfeit currency in the recycling bin, and then returning the doctored gym bag weighted with newspapers to the workout room. He didn’t understand why he was doing this, but after witnessing Ethel in action, he didn’t question her judgment.