Plan of action

As Meg rushed down the crumbling steps and onto the cracked sidewalk, her mind raced. The cool autumn air was a welcome relief after the stifling atmosphere inside Delgado's home. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart and settle her churning stomach.

As the adrenaline faded, Meg's mind began to race. She had the signed papers, but so much was still unclear about Delgado's case. There were mountains of financial records to go through, potential witnesses to interview, timelines to establish. And Delgado himself was a wildcard - unpredictable, uncooperative, and utterly repulsive.

Meg weighed her options carefully. She could try to handle everything herself, diving deep into the case files and burning the midnight oil for weeks on end. It would be a Herculean task but one she had tackled before. The thought of more interactions with Delgado, however, made her skin crawl. His leering gaze, the way his eyes roved over her body, his "accidental" brushes against her arm or back - it was all too much.

Still, his insight into the case could prove invaluable. Delgado knew the way of the money, both literally and figuratively. He had been at the center of this web of corruption and deceit for decades. If anyone could untangle the threads, it was him.

Meg sighed heavily, her breath visible in the chilly air. She pulled her arms tighter around herself, as if it could shield her from more than just the cold. The weight of the decision pressed down on her shoulders.

As she walked to her uber, leaves crunching underfoot, Meg's dread the decision she would make.