Chapter 8 - The Woman in the PhotographI drove through the night.

Marcus followed in another vehicle.

Noah's call had lasted thirty-two seconds.

We traced it to a temporary phone signal near an old private clinic.

The clinic had been closed for years.

We entered through the rear.

Noah was not there.

Instead, we found a woman.

She was sitting in a dark examination room.

Her hair was gray.

Her hands were tied.

I recognized her from Claire's photograph.

Not Claire.

Claire's older sister.

Miriam.

My wife's sister.

I had been told she died fourteen years ago.

She looked up.

“Thomas.”

I couldn't speak.

Marcus cut her restraints.

“Who brought you here?”

“The Vances.”

“Why?”

“To make you come.”

Miriam coughed.

“They knew you would believe Claire's letter.”

I stared.

“What do you mean?”

Miriam looked at me.

“Claire didn't write everything.”

Marcus stiffened.

“Where's Noah?”

“Safe.”

“Where?”

“Someone took him before they could move him.”

I stepped closer.

“Who?”

She looked frightened.

“Your old friend.”

“Marcus?”

“No.”

She whispered a name.

“Halbrook.”

My blood froze.

James Halbrook.

My former boss.

The man in Victor's recording.

Marcus immediately called his team.

“Find Halbrook.”

Miriam continued.

“Claire was investigating the Vances before she died.”

I sat across from her.

“How long?”

“Years.”

“Why?”

“Because she discovered what happened to Noah's mother.”

“Who was she?”

Miriam hesitated.

Then answered.

“A woman named Elena.”

I knew the name.

Elena Vance.

Victor's youngest daughter.

Daniel's aunt.

Officially, she had died in a car crash twenty-six years ago.

Miriam shook her head.

“She didn't die.”

“What?”

“Victor erased her.”

I stared at her.

“Elena had a son.”

“Noah?”

She nodded.

“Noah's mother was Elena.”

I felt dizzy.

“But the documents said Claire gave birth.”

“Claire gave birth to Lily.”

Miriam looked at me.

“Victor forged the records.”

Everything suddenly aligned.

Noah wasn't my son.

Claire hadn't lied about that.

The records had been fabricated to create leverage.

Marcus asked,

“Why would Victor connect Noah to Thomas?”

Miriam answered.

“Because Thomas once destroyed part of his network.”

Marcus went silent.

I looked at him.

“You knew?”

He nodded slowly.

“Some of it.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I needed to know who was still alive.”

“And?”

Miriam spoke.

“Halbrook.”

Marcus looked at me.

“What about him?”

“He has the blue ledger.”

I remembered Claire's letter.

The blue ledger.

“What is it?”

“The original record of every transaction.”

“Every payment?”

“Every payment.”

“To judges?”

“Yes.”

“Police?”

“Yes.”

“Politicians?”

“Yes.”

“Children?”

Miriam nodded.

“And deaths.”

The room went silent.

“What deaths?”

Miriam looked directly at me.

“Everyone who became inconvenient.”

A phone rang.

Not mine.

Miriam's.

The screen displayed an unknown number.

She answered.

A distorted voice spoke.

“Tell Thomas the ledger is being opened.”

Miriam dropped the phone.

Marcus took it.

The call had ended.

I asked,

“What does that mean?”

Marcus looked at the screen.

“It means someone has decided to stop hiding.”

Then the building alarm sounded.

We heard engines outside.

Several vehicles.

Marcus looked through the window.

Black SUVs.

At least six.

Miriam whispered:

“They found us.”

A man shouted from outside.

“Thomas Carter!”

I stood.

The voice continued.

“You have ten minutes.”

Marcus reached for his weapon.

“For what?”

The answer came through a loudspeaker.

“To bring Noah.”

I looked at Miriam.

“Noah isn't here.”

She shook her head.

“I know.”

“Then why would they think he is?”

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Miriam's eyes filled with fear.

“Because they know something we don't.”