The men all sat quietly, staring at the tiny, dark objects on the table before them, a mix of annoyance and curiosity stemming from their silence. Amir got up and approached the wine bar ahead. After pouring himself a drink, he settled on one of the high chairs and watched from that distance as others pondered on one thing or the other.

After a sip or two, he broke the silence. “We can trace the chip if it has a purchase number written on it, right? That should give us ...