Then stopped.
"One more thing."
Daniel looked up.
Riley pointed at him.
"Don't make the mistake of thinking the boy can save his mother."
The door closed.
Daniel sat motionless.
Then he noticed something.
The photograph had been placed upside down.
He turned it over.
A handwritten message appeared on the back.
IF YOU FOUND THIS, THE ORIGINAL IS STILL THERE.
Daniel read it twice.
Beneath the message was a small mark.
Three circles.
One line through the center.
The same symbol Michael had placed on the envelope.
Daniel slowly smiled.
Michael was alive.
Or someone wanted him to believe he was.
THE WAREHOUSE
At 5:37 p.m., a dark sedan pulled into an empty parking lot beside the old railway line.
Emily sat behind the steering wheel.
She had left the station without telling anyone.
Her phone was switched off.
On the passenger seat was a folded map.
She had circled an address.
WESTBRIDGE INDUSTRIAL STORAGE β BUILDING 29.
Noah sat beside her.
He held his backpack tightly.
"Are we going to find my mom?"
Emily looked at him.
"That's the plan."
"Is Mr. Morgan coming?"
She hesitated.
"I hope so."
Noah looked through the window.
The warehouse stood in the distance.
It was enormous.
The walls were stained with years of rain and industrial smoke.
A rusted sign hung above the main entrance.
WESTBRIDGE.
A metal fence surrounded the property.
At the center was a sliding gate.
The number 29 was painted in white.
Noah pointed.
"That's it."
Emily parked several hundred feet away.
She took a breath.
"Stay inside."
Noah nodded.
Emily stepped out.
She approached the fence.
The gate was locked.
A small security camera pointed toward the entrance.
She looked toward the building.
A light was visible behind one of the upper windows.
Then she heard something.
A faint metallic bang.
She turned.
Another bang.
Then a woman's voice.
"HELP!"
Emily froze.
It came from inside the warehouse.
"PLEASE!"
Noah opened the car door.
"Mom!"
Emily spun around.
"Noah! Stay back!"
But the boy was already running.
He reached the fence and grabbed the metal bars.
"Mom!"
A figure appeared behind a narrow window.
A woman.
Sarah Bennett.
Her hands were pressed against the glass.
She saw Noah.
Her face changed.
She began shouting.
"NOAH! GET AWAY!"
The boy started crying.
"Mom!"
Emily ran toward him.
Then a vehicle entered the lot.
A black police SUV.
Its headlights illuminated the fence.
The driver's door opened.
Officer Riley stepped out.
Emily turned.
Her face went pale.
Riley looked at the boy.
Then at the woman behind the window.
He smiled.
"Well, this is unexpected."
Emily stepped in front of Noah.
"What are you doing here?"
Riley slowly approached.
"That's a question I was going to ask you."
Emily reached for her phone.
Riley shook his head.
"Don't."
She stopped.
He looked toward the warehouse.
"You're interfering with an active police operation."
Emily stared at him.
"There's a woman locked inside."
Riley shrugged.
"Then she should have cooperated."
Noah stepped forward.
"LET MY MOM GO!"
Riley looked down at him.
"Go back to your car."
"No!"
Riley's expression hardened.
"Now."
Emily grabbed Noah's shoulder.
"Don't talk to him."
Riley looked at her.
"You're making a mistake, Emily."
She stared at him.
"You're the one making it."
Riley smiled.
"Maybe."
He reached into his jacket and removed a radio.
"Dispatch, this is Riley. I have a civilian and a minor trespassing at Westbridge. Send a unit."
Emily looked at him in disbelief.
"You called the police?"
Riley smiled.
"I am the police."
Then a voice came from behind them.
"No."
Riley turned.
A black sedan had stopped near the gate.
The rear door opened.
Daniel Morgan stepped out.
His suit jacket was torn.
A bruise marked his cheek.
But his eyes were fixed on Riley.
Daniel looked at the warehouse.
Then at Sarah behind the glass.
Then at the officer.
"You're finished."
Riley's smile vanished.
THE WOMAN BEHIND THE GLASS
Daniel walked toward the gate.
Riley stepped into his path.
"You're supposed to be in custody."
Daniel looked at him.
"Then you should have checked the basement."
Riley frowned.
"What?"
Daniel held up a small metal key.
"The lock on the interview room was broken."
Riley looked toward the warehouse.
Daniel continued.
"And I wasn't alone when I left."
A second vehicle arrived.
Two federal agents stepped out.
One was a tall woman in a dark coat.
The other was a broad-shouldered man carrying a secure case.
Riley slowly reached toward his radio.
"Don't," Daniel said.
Riley froze.
The woman in the dark coat approached.
"Officer Riley?"
Riley looked at her.
"Who are you?"
She opened her jacket.
A federal badge caught the light.
"Special Agent Rebecca Lawson. Federal Bureau of Investigation."
Riley's expression changed.
Daniel looked toward the warehouse.
"Open the gate."
Riley shook his head.
"I don't have the key."
Daniel stared.
"You locked her in."
"That wasn't my operation."
"Then whose was it?"
Riley looked toward the warehouse.
Noah was crying.
His mother was still behind the glass.
Daniel stepped closer.
"Give me the key."
Riley looked at Lawson.
Then at Daniel.
Then at the boy.
For a moment, it seemed he might cooperate.
Instead, he reached inside his jacket.
Lawson immediately raised her weapon.
"Hands where I can see them!"
Riley stopped.
A metal object slipped from his pocket and hit the ground.
It was a key ring.
Daniel picked it up.
There were three keys.
One had a small white tag.
BUILDING 29.
Daniel looked at Riley.
"Thank you."
He ran toward the gate.
The lock opened.
Noah rushed forward.
Daniel caught him before he could enter.
"Stay behind me."
"MY MOM!"
"I know."
Daniel and Lawson moved through the entrance.
Emily followed with Noah.
Inside, the warehouse smelled of dust, oil, and damp concrete.
A narrow corridor led toward the rear storage area.
Sarah's voice echoed through the building.
"NOAH!"
"Mom!"
Daniel followed the sound.
They passed several metal doors.