The doorknob turned another fraction.
Alex stepped between me and the door.
“Stay behind me.”
Daniels moved to the side, keeping his weapon lowered but ready.
The door opened.
A man stood in the hallway with both hands visible.
He was in his fifties, broad-shouldered, gray at the temples, wearing a dark coat damp from the rain. I had never seen him before.
Then he looked at Alex.
Something passed between them.
Recognition.
“You,” Alex said.
The man smiled without warmth.
“Still protecting your sister.”
Daniels raised his weapon.
“Hands where I can see them.”
The man slowly lifted them higher.
“I came to talk.”
“You entered a secured residence without permission.”
“I didn't know it was secured.”
Alex stared at him.
“You're Marcus Vale.”
The man's smile disappeared.
I felt the room change.
This was the name Rachel had spoken.
The contractor Alex had once investigated.
The man whose companies had exchanged money with Trent.
The man who had apparently been connected to the surveillance surrounding my life.
Marcus looked at me.
“So you're her.”
I stepped back.
“What does that mean?”
He didn't answer.
Alex did.
“She was never supposed to be involved.”
Marcus glanced at him.
“That's what you still believe?”
Daniels ordered him to turn around.
Marcus complied.
He was searched and found carrying no weapon.
But there was a small envelope inside his coat.
My name was written on it.
Daniels took it.
“Where did you get this?”
Marcus looked at me.
“From Rachel.”
My pulse jumped.
“She sent you?”
“No.”
“Then how do you have it?”
“She gave it to someone who gave it to me.”
“Who?”
Marcus smiled faintly.
“You're asking the wrong question.”
Alex stepped forward.
“Where is Rachel?”
Marcus looked at him for several seconds.
“Alive.”
The answer struck me harder than I expected.
“Where?”
“Safe.”
“That isn't good enough.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me.”
Marcus looked at Daniels.
“You don't have enough information to protect her.”
“Try me.”
“You'll send officers to wherever I tell you.”
“Yes.”
“And someone else will know exactly where she is.”
I stared at him.
“Who?”
Marcus looked at Alex.
“Your brother.”
Alex stiffened.
I felt the accusation before the words came.
“You think Alex is working with you?”
“No.”
Marcus shook his head.
“I think someone has spent six years making sure Alex looks guilty whenever Rachel gets close to the truth.”
Alex's face remained still.
I asked, “Then why did Rachel distrust him?”
“Because she had reason to.”
“What reason?”
Marcus looked at me.
“Because Alex was investigating the wrong person.”
Silence.
“What does that mean?”
“He believed Trent was the center of everything.”
“He wasn't?”
“Trent was a useful man. Ambitious. Controlling. Easy to manipulate. But he wasn't the architect.”
I remembered Rachel's video.
What Trent was doing for Marcus Vale.
“You used him.”
Marcus did not deny it.
“He did things for me.”
“Tracking women?”
“Information gathering.”
“You destroyed lives.”
“I didn't force anyone to do anything.”
“That doesn't make you innocent.”
Marcus looked almost tired.
“No. It doesn't.”
Daniels took a step toward him.
“Where is Rachel?”
Marcus reached into his coat again.
The officer stopped him.
Slowly, Marcus removed a folded map.
He placed it on the table.
Rachel's handwriting covered the edges.
“She wants you to follow the trail.”
I looked at the map.
There were three locations circled.
The old hotel where the fundraiser had taken place.
The library that later burned.
And a farmhouse outside the city.
“What is the farmhouse?”
“Where Rachel stayed.”
My heart jumped.
“Recently?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Until yesterday.”
“Why did she leave?”
“Because Trent found her.”
I looked toward the door.
“But Trent is in custody.”
“His people aren't.”
The statement chilled me.
“His people?”
Marcus nodded.
“Trent worked alone when he wanted to hurt someone. He didn't work alone when he wanted information.”
Alex picked up the map.
“What happened to the farmhouse?”
“It's empty.”
“Why?”
“Because Rachel knew they were coming.”
“Who?”
Marcus looked at me.
“People who believe your baby is the key to something your husband stole.”
My hand moved instinctively to my stomach.
“What did Trent steal?”
Marcus's expression changed.
“Nothing.”
I frowned.
“Then why would they care about my baby?”
“They don't.”
He looked toward Alex.
“They care about what Alex knows.”
The connection finally became clear.
I was the route.
Not the destination.
Trent had entered my life because of Alex.
Rachel had watched me because of Trent.
Marcus had been connected to both.
But something still did not fit.
“Why me?”
Marcus looked at the photographs spread across the table.
“Because Trent made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He fell in love with you.”
I stared at him.
“That isn't a mistake.”
“For him, it was.”
Alex looked angry.
Marcus continued.
“He was supposed to observe you, learn how close you were to your brother, and report back. Instead, he became possessive.”
I thought of the first months of our marriage.
The flowers.
The notes.
The way he wanted to know where I was.
At first it had felt romantic.
Then it had become suffocating.
“He stopped following orders,” Marcus said.
“And you let him?”
“I tried to remove him.”
“How?”
“Rachel.”
I stared.
“She was supposed to make him afraid.”
“What?”
“She knew too much. She was supposed to disappear from his life.”
“But she disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“Did you arrange it?”
Marcus looked at me.
“No.”
The answer came too quickly.
Daniels noticed.
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I expect you to investigate.”
He pointed toward the map.
“Rachel discovered that someone inside the investigation was protecting Trent.”
Alex's expression hardened.
“Who?”
Marcus shook his head.
“She never knew.”
“Then why tell us?”
“Because the person who protected Trent still has access to the case.”
The room fell silent.
Daniels lowered his weapon slightly.
“You're saying someone in law enforcement is involved.”
“I am saying you should be careful who you trust.”
A knock sounded downstairs.
Everyone froze.
Daniels motioned to another officer.
The footsteps that followed were hurried.
Then a voice called out.
“Detective?”
Daniels stepped into the hall.
A uniformed officer stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“Sir, Trent escaped custody.”
My blood went cold.
“What?”
Daniels stared.
“How?”
“Transport vehicle was intercepted.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
Alex looked at Marcus.
“You knew.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
The officer continued.
“There were two attackers. One officer is injured.”
Daniels cursed.
“Did you identify them?”
“No.”
I looked at the map.
Three locations.
One farmhouse.
One burned library.
One hotel.
And somewhere outside this house, Trent was free.
Marcus picked up the envelope with my name.
“You need to leave.”
I stared at him.
“Why should I trust you?”
“You shouldn't.”
He handed the envelope to me.
“Trust Rachel.”
Inside was a photograph.
The original fundraiser.
But Rachel had circled one person in the background.
Not Trent.
Not Alex.
Not me.
A woman.
She stood beside the ballroom entrance.
I recognized her immediately.
Helen.
Trent's mother.
My fingers went numb.
Marcus watched my face.
“Now you understand why Rachel was afraid.”
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