Silas Vane received the news about Michael Erickson's sentence shortly after breakfast.
He was sitting in the small room the IRS had assigned him while investigators continued examining his records. The room had a table, two chairs, a narrow bed, and a television fixed high on the wall. He had been watching the news without paying much attention when the presenter announced that Michael had been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Silas stopped eating.
The presenter continued discussing the hearing, referring to Michael's admissions, the evidence presented against him, and the court's decision that his limited cooperation did not excuse the seriousness of his crimes. A photograph of Michael appeared on the screen, followed by footage of him being escorted into the courthouse.
