Claire laughed bitterly.
“That's what you told everyone.”
Daniel moved between them.
“Enough. Explain.”
Rebecca looked exhausted.
“Six years ago, Claire discovered that the missing evidence had been transferred through a private security company. She found a connection between the company and several county officials.”
“Who?”
“Captain Harris. Adrian Cross. Two judges. Three investigators.”
“And you?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“I was assigned to monitor her.”
Daniel stared.
“Monitor my wife?”
“I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you.”
The words struck him harder than a physical blow.
Claire shook her head.
“You used him.”
Rebecca's eyes filled.
“I didn't plan any of this.”
“You knew who he was.”
“Yes.”
“You knew what happened to Michael.”
“Yes.”
“And you let Daniel believe I was dead.”
Rebecca looked down.
“Yes.”
Daniel stepped away from her.
“Why?”
Rebecca's voice trembled.
“Because they had the evidence. They had the people. They had the power to destroy anyone who tried to expose them.”
“So you helped them?”
“I tried to keep you alive.”
“By pretending to be my wife?”
Rebecca didn't answer.
Daniel looked at Claire.
“Then who was the woman in the funeral?”
Claire swallowed.
“A woman who had already died in custody. They used her remains and changed the records.”
Daniel covered his mouth.
For six years, he had visited a grave that contained a stranger.
He had spent birthdays speaking to a photograph.
He had blamed himself for failing to protect a woman who had never been buried.
He turned toward Rebecca.
“Did you ever love me?”
Rebecca's eyes filled.
“Yes.”
“Was any of it real?”
She hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Daniel stepped away.
Claire whispered:
“Daniel, we need to leave.”
A loud metallic bang interrupted them.
Then another.
The basement lights went out.
Rebecca raised her weapon.
“Move!”
A red emergency light came on.
At the far end of the corridor, a door opened.
A man stepped out.
Adrian Cross.
He held a small device in one hand.
“I'm sorry to interrupt.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
“Stay where you are.”
Adrian smiled.
“Still giving orders.”
Rebecca aimed at him.
“Drop the device!”
Adrian looked at her.
“Rebecca, you know what this is.”
She went pale.
Daniel glanced at the device.
“What is it?”
Adrian pressed a button.
A low mechanical hum began behind the walls.
Then a voice came through the corridor speakers.
Captain Harris.
“Adrian, initiate the transfer.”
Adrian looked at Daniel.
“You see? The captain is still in charge.”
Daniel moved toward him.
“Where is Michael?”
Adrian's smile disappeared.
“Room eleven.”
“Take me to him.”
“Gladly.”
Adrian stepped aside.
The door at the end of the corridor opened.
Inside was a room with a single chair.
A man sat in it.
His hands were tied.
His head hung forward.
His hair was gray.
His face was bruised.
Daniel stared.
“Michael?”
The man slowly lifted his head.
Their eyes met.
Then the man whispered:
“Daniel…”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Michael.”
Michael tried to stand but collapsed.
Daniel rushed toward him.
Rebecca followed.
Adrian remained in the doorway.
Michael grabbed Daniel's sleeve.
“Don't let him take the card.”
Daniel looked down.
“What card?”
Michael's eyes moved toward the pocket of Agent Reed's evidence jacket.
“The one Noah found.”
Daniel turned.
But Agent Reed was no longer at the end of the corridor.
The doorway behind them was empty.
Rebecca looked toward the stairs.
“Where is Reed?”
Adrian smiled.
“That's a very good question.”
9. The Missing Agent
Daniel reached for his radio.
“Reed, respond.”
Static.
“Agent Reed, respond immediately.”
Nothing.
Rebecca moved toward the staircase.
“I'm going up.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No. We stay together.”
“Someone has the evidence.”
“Then we find them.”
Michael coughed.
“Daniel…”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
Michael struggled to speak.
“It's not the card.”
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“The card is a decoy.”
Sarah's voice suddenly came from the top of the stairs.
“Daniel!”
Everyone looked up.
Sarah was standing on the landing with Noah beside her.
Emily was behind them.
Sarah held a small black device.
“There's someone outside.”
Rebecca raised her voice.
“Sarah, get Noah away from the stairs!”
Sarah shook her head.
“No. You need to see this.”
She held up the device.
“Someone sent a message to Noah's phone.”
Daniel stared.
“What message?”
Sarah pressed the screen.
A video appeared.
It showed a man sitting inside a dark room.
The man's face was partly visible.
He wore a county police uniform.
A voice spoke.
“Hello, Noah.”
The boy froze.
Sarah pulled him behind her.
The man continued.
“I know you're with your mother. I know Daniel Morgan is there, too.”
Daniel stared at the screen.
The man lifted his head.
It was Officer Riley.
But Riley wasn't alone.
Someone stood behind him.
A person wearing a dark suit.
Captain Harris.
Riley leaned toward the camera.
“Listen carefully. You have something that belongs to us.”
Noah began trembling.
Riley smiled.
“If you want your mother to stay safe, bring us the original evidence.”
The video ended.
Daniel looked at Sarah.
“Where did you get this?”
“It came through Noah's phone.”
“Who sent it?”
“I don't know.”
Michael began shaking his head.
“It's a trap.”
Daniel turned.
“What's the original evidence?”
Michael looked at Noah.
Then at Sarah.
Then finally at Daniel.
“The original evidence isn't a document.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then what is it?”
Michael's voice dropped.
“It's a person.”
The room went silent.
Sarah closed her eyes.
Daniel stared at Michael.
“Who?”
Michael swallowed.
Then he looked directly at Noah.
“Your son.”
Sarah stepped backward.
“No.”
Michael nodded.
“I'm sorry.”
Daniel's voice became cold.
“Explain.”
Michael struggled to sit upright.
“Seven years ago, I found out that the operation wasn't just about stolen evidence. It was about controlling witness identities. People were being declared dead, transferred, or classified as voluntary disappearances so they could be removed from official records.”
Daniel listened.
“Why Noah?”
“Because he was born on the night the original investigation began.”
Daniel frowned.