The man's hair was white.
His posture was slightly bent.
But his face was unmistakable.
It was Thomas Hayes.
On the back was a handwritten message:
I'M SORRY I COULDN'T COME HOME.
Daniel sat down.
For twenty years, he had believed his father was dead.
Now he was looking at proof that his father might still be alive.
A second page contained a telephone number.
Daniel called it.
A man's voice answered.
“Daniel?”
His throat tightened.
“Dad?”
Silence.
Then the voice returned.
“Son, you shouldn't have opened those files.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Why did you let us believe you were dead?”
“I thought it was the only way to protect you.”
Daniel's voice broke slightly.
“Protect us from what?”
Thomas answered:
“From the people who were paying me to disappear.”
CHAPTER 34 — THE MEETING BY THE LAKE
Thomas agreed to meet Daniel at a secluded lake outside the city.
Daniel arrived with Monica and a discreet protection team.
For several minutes, nobody appeared.
Then an older man stepped out from behind the trees.
Daniel recognized his father's face immediately.
Neither man spoke.
Thomas approached slowly.
Daniel stood still.
Finally, Thomas said:
“You've grown up.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Twenty years.”
Thomas lowered his eyes.
“I know.”
“You let me bury you.”
“I had no choice.”
“You let Rebecca believe she had lost her father.”
Thomas looked devastated.
“I thought they would leave you alone if you believed I was gone.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who are they?”
Thomas looked around.
Then he whispered:
“Elias Voss was never the person in charge.”
Daniel's expression tightened.
“Then who was?”
Thomas took a folded document from his coat.
It contained the names of five people.
Four were former senior government officials.
The fifth was still active.
CHIEF JUSTICE EDWARD WINSLOW.
Thomas looked at his son.
“The operation was protected by someone who could make investigations disappear with a single signature.”
Daniel stared at the document.
A car appeared on the road behind them.
Thomas turned sharply.
“They found us.”
CHAPTER 35 — THE AMBUSH AT THE LAKE
Monica shouted.
“Federal protection! Move!”
Two agents moved toward the vehicle.
Thomas grabbed Daniel's arm.
“Don't let them take that document!”
Daniel placed it inside his jacket.
The vehicle stopped.
Three men stepped out.
They wore dark clothing and carried identification badges.
One raised his hand.
“Federal agents! We need to speak with Mr. Hayes.”
Monica immediately challenged them.
“Identify your agency and supervisor.”
The first man produced a badge.
But Daniel noticed the seal was outdated.
“Stop,” he ordered.
The men froze.
“Those credentials are invalid.”
The lead man lowered his hand.
“Director, we're acting under emergency authority.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Whose authority?”
The man didn't answer.
Monica quietly contacted the real protection team.
Seconds later, additional vehicles arrived.
The three men attempted to retreat.
Two were detained.
The third escaped into the trees.
Thomas looked shaken.
“They're not going to stop.”
Daniel looked at his father.
“Neither am I.”
CHAPTER 36 — THE SUPREME COURT CONNECTION
The document Thomas had provided contained references to sealed judicial orders.
Monica traced the signatures.
Three had been authorized by former officials.
Two belonged to active judicial administrators.
One belonged to Chief Justice Edward Winslow.
Daniel requested an independent legal review.
The results were alarming.
Several surveillance operations had been authorized under judicial orders that contained no supporting case files.
The orders had been used to justify access to private communications and confidential government records.
The chief justice's office denied involvement.
But a retired clerk contacted Daniel.
Her name was Margaret Ellis.
She had worked in the judicial records division for thirty-two years.
She claimed that certain orders had been entered into the system after the judges had already signed unrelated documents.
“I was instructed to process them,” she explained.
“By whom?” Daniel asked.
“Chief Administrative Clerk Raymond Foster.”
“Did Winslow know?”
Margaret hesitated.