THE PAPER TRAIL

I walked back into the office, pulled my phone from my pocket, and opened the county property-record website.

The connection was slow.

Everyone waited.

Finally, the parcel appeared.

Owner: Emily Carter.

That much was correct.

Then I saw another entry.

Recorded eleven days earlier.

A transfer document.

Quitclaim deed.

My stomach tightened.

I opened the scanned image.