Late at night in City Hall, only the lights in the third-floor Mayor's Office were still on.
Leo sat behind his desk, on which mountains of paper were piled high.
The Pittsburgh City Charter, the City Council Rules of Procedure, the Municipal Finance Management Ordinance, the Public Works Maintenance Act... These thick, tedious tomes were now spread open before Leo.
The strong scent of coffee filled the air.
Leo was exhausted, but his mind was in a state of extreme agitation.
His eyes were bloodshot.
Whenever he closed his eyes, the image of Margaret's worn-out wheelchair stuck in the doorway would flash through his mind.
That small strip of wood hadn't just blocked Margaret; it had blocked him, too.
Moretti had locked the main gate with the chains of procedure, but Leo refused to believe this building had no windows.
"Mr. President, I have an idea."
Leo stared at the lines of text on the documents, his voice hoarse and his words coming in a rapid-fire torrent.
