Chapter 6 - The Forty-Eight-Hour Deadline
Forty-eight hours.
That was how long Gregory Davis had given Ethan Hayes to save his younger brother.
And somehow, my eight-month-old son had become part of the bargain.
"Where is Daniel?" I demanded.
Ethan enlarged the photograph.
"We're trying to identify the building."
"Then call the police!"
"I already have."
I stopped.
For a man with Ethan's reputation, that answer surprised me.
He looked at the photograph again.
"Gregory wants a financial ledger Daniel discovered before he disappeared."
"What kind of ledger?"
"Records connecting Gregory to millions of dollars stolen through businesses he controlled."
"And you have it?"
Ethan hesitated.
"Part of it."
My stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?"
"Daniel divided the evidence before he disappeared. Gregory believes I have the complete copy."
I looked toward Sam's crib.
"What happens when Gregory realizes you don't?"
Ethan didn't answer.
I felt tears filling my eyes.
For months, I had believed Daniel abandoned me because motherhood wasn't the future he wanted.
Now he was somewhere in Chicago, tied to a chair, possibly injured, while the people who had destroyed our lives negotiated over stolen money.
"I want to see everything," I said.
Ethan looked at me.
"Norah—"
"No more secrets. If Daniel is Sam's father, I deserve to know why he's missing."
Ethan studied me for a long moment.
Then nodded.
"All right."
He led me downstairs into his private office.
A photograph stood beside the computer.
Two boys stood outside a lake house.
One was about twelve.
The other couldn't have been older than six.
They were smiling.
"That's you and Daniel?"
Ethan nodded.
"He used to follow me everywhere."
I touched the frame.
"He told me he hated being alone."
Ethan's eyes darkened.
"He wasn't always alone."
He opened his laptop.
A series of documents appeared.
Invoices.
Bank transfers.
Company ownership records.
And one file labeled HAWTHORNE.
I frowned.
"What's Hawthorne?"
"A medical supply company Gregory used to move money."
My chest tightened.
"Medical supplies?"
"Yes."
I thought about my son's formula.
About the strange delays at the pharmacy.
About the inexpensive pediatric clinic where Sam received his vaccinations.
"Daniel once mentioned Hawthorne," I whispered.
Ethan turned sharply.
"When?"
"Before he disappeared. He said he'd discovered something involving children's medical products."
Ethan's expression changed.
"What exactly did he say?"
I searched my memory.
"He told me some people were making fortunes from families who couldn't afford to protect themselves."
Silence filled the room.
Then Ethan whispered, "He wasn't just investigating money."
A knock interrupted us.
Marco entered carrying a sealed evidence bag.
"Boss, the police recovered this from Gregory's office."
Inside was a tiny silver charm shaped like a wolf.
I recognized it immediately.
"Daniel wore that on his keychain."
Ethan nodded.
"Our mother gave us matching charms."
Marco placed another document on the desk.
"Investigators also found a storage-unit receipt."
Ethan examined it.
Then froze.
"What?" I asked.
Marco looked toward me.
"The unit was rented using a copy of your identification."
I stared.
"My identification?"
He nodded.
"And according to the access records, someone entered it the morning you collapsed at L'Osteria."
I felt cold.
"Who?"
Marco swallowed.
"Gregory."
Ethan looked at the receipt.
Then at me.
"Norah, I think Gregory hired you because of Daniel."
May you like
My hands trembled.
"And I think your unpaid wages were never the real reason he wanted you back at the restaurant."
