For one breath, Vincent could not make sense of the sentence.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou took him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you gave him to Richard?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI lost him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent crossed the distance between them before anyone could stop him.<\/p>\n
He grabbed Ethan by the jacket and drove him backward against the truck.<\/p>\n
Torres shouted.<\/p>\n
Officers moved.<\/p>\n
Ethan did not fight back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is my son?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to get him away from the estate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy kidnapping him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent hit him.<\/p>\n
Once.<\/p>\n
Hard.<\/p>\n
Torres pulled him away.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough!\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan spat blood onto the gravel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI deserved that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou deserve worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan looked toward the police weapons.<\/p>\n
\u201cInside.\u201d<\/p>\n
They brought him into the quarry office.<\/p>\n
He sat at the dusty table where Leo had left the handprint.<\/p>\n
His eyes lingered on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s smart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent stood across from him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do not get to compliment him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cFair.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres started the recorder.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell us everything from the moment you entered the estate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan rubbed his split lip.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t enter through the house. I used the old north lane.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew the boys used the garden gate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBlake told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s fists tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you take Leo?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Richard was coming for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cExplain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan looked at Vincent.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found messages on one of the old phones Richard used.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThree days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did they say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat if the ventilation system was discovered, he needed leverage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent already knew what leverage meant.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my sons.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you call police?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause police believed I stole from Moretti Logistics. Your lawyers had records. Richard had records. Everyone had records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother believed you were framed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mother also spent four years protecting the people who framed me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pain flashed across his face.<\/p>\n
Vincent saw it.<\/p>\n
So did Torres.<\/p>\n
Ethan continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried calling Blake.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat Richard was escalating.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he know about the kidnapping plan?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew Richard might take one of the boys.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd told no one?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said Richard monitored his calls.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elena stood near the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarrison contacted me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re Elena.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said you were the only person who might understand the old Alton files.\u201d<\/p>\n
She folded her arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou hit him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnton did?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
That matched Richard\u2019s claim.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy were you at the guesthouse?\u201d Torres asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to reach Mrs. Harper.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo warn her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo get her out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why take Leo?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I saw Richard\u2019s man in the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnton?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know his name.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s another person?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many people have been helping him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than Blake knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than I knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was not comforting.<\/p>\n
Ethan continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe woman at the trees was a decoy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA woman Richard paid because she resembles Elena.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elena looked furious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe planned that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo make Leo come outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot until I saw her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLeo started toward the gate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI reached him before Richard\u2019s man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you took him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told him I was helping.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he believe you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent thought of the note.<\/p>\n
DAD DID NOT KILL MOM. LIAR.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot for long.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan almost smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you bring him back?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Richard\u2019s man was between us and the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou had a phone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJammed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDrive somewhere public.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead you went to the cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnton.\u201d<\/p>\n
The name darkened the room.<\/p>\n
The man who sabotaged Isabella\u2019s brakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI moved Leo again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the quarry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I had proof about my father here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would that matter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted Vincent to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou kidnapped my son to force me to investigate your father.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan looked ashamed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not rescue.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou used him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt least you understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres leaned forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did Richard get Leo?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the quarry, I left him inside while I checked the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou left him alone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor two minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone keeps losing my son in two minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I came back, he was gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSigns of struggle?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVehicle?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBlack sedan on the south road.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw Anton.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent leaned over the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you came back here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI followed until I lost them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not call police then?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo call reached dispatch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey jammed again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did you lose them?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan named an intersection.<\/p>\n
Reeves sent it immediately.<\/p>\n
Traffic systems were searched.<\/p>\n
No result yet.<\/p>\n
Vincent paced.<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard has him now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words made the room smaller.<\/p>\n
Ethan reached into his jacket.<\/p>\n
Every officer raised a weapon.<\/p>\n
He froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres took it.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlocked?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inside were photographs of Richard\u2019s messages.<\/p>\n
One stood out.<\/p>\n
IF V WON\u2019T SIGN, USE THE CHILD.<\/p>\n
Vincent stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cSign what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan swiped.<\/p>\n
A document appeared.<\/p>\n
Emergency transfer of voting control.<\/p>\n
Moretti Holdings.<\/p>\n
Temporary authority granted to Richard Cole.<\/p>\n
Vincent laughed once in disbelief.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll this for the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants the company,\u201d Ethan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has no company left after tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe thinks he can still win.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause your board doesn\u2019t know any of this yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reeves checked his phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent had focused entirely on the family.<\/p>\n
Richard still had corporate allies.<\/p>\n
Accounts.<\/p>\n
Proxies.<\/p>\n
People who had not yet learned he was under investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Richard forces Vincent to sign before police publicly establish what happened,\u201d Elena said, \u201che could move assets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr destroy records,\u201d Torres added.<\/p>\n
Vincent looked at the document.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happens if I refuse?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan did not answer.<\/p>\n
He did not need to.<\/p>\n
The phone rang.<\/p>\n
Unknown number.<\/p>\n
Everyone went still.<\/p>\n
Torres activated recording.<\/p>\n
Vincent answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
Then Leo\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice was too careful.<\/p>\n
Playing along.<\/p>\n
Exactly as Lucas described.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
A man took the phone.<\/p>\n
Richard.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s voice changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me hear him again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou heard enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he\u2019s hurt\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou poisoned him for years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI managed exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s hand shook.<\/p>\n
Torres touched his arm.<\/p>\n
Keep him talking.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve seen the document.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Ethan is predictable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan looked sick.<\/p>\n
Richard continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sign. You send the executed copy to three board members. You announce a temporary leave from all executive duties.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Leo?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReturned.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlive?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo not insult me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what you consider insulting anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard\u2019s silence sharpened.<\/p>\n
Vincent continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou killed Isabella.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnton cut her brake line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnton acted without authorization.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elena stared.<\/p>\n
Richard was distancing himself.<\/p>\n
Too late.<\/p>\n
\u201cHale\u2019s footage says otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have no footage of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have your calls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCircumstantial.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have Alton records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFinancial crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have Blake.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHarrison will say anything to save himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have Elena.\u201d<\/p>\n
A colder silence.<\/p>\n
Richard\u2019s voice lowered.<\/p>\n
\u201cElena is a confessed accomplice.\u201d<\/p>\n
She flinched.<\/p>\n
Vincent saw it.<\/p>\n
Richard knew exactly where to cut.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re running out of other people to blame.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. I\u2019m running out of patience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then Leo cried out in the background.<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s face changed instantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard returned calmly.<\/p>\n
\u201cSign.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me hear him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres whispered, \u201cTime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need thirty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have fifteen.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat document requires notarization.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou own a bank.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot at two in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. People you spent years corrupting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ten seconds of silence.<\/p>\n
Richard said, \u201cTwenty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The call ended.<\/p>\n
Vincent lowered the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m signing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres said, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has my son.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can create a controlled document.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe will verify.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we make it verifiable long enough to trace him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent looked at Reeves.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLess than twenty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torres objected.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf control actually transfers\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll reverse it later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard could authorize transfers immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll lose every dollar I have before I lose Leo.\u201d<\/p>\n
No one argued with that.<\/p>\n
Reeves worked with corporate counsel.<\/p>\n
They prepared an authentic digital transfer instrument but inserted an administrative restriction that would delay external asset movement.<\/p>\n
To Richard it would appear real.<\/p>\n
Legally, it was real.<\/p>\n
But the company\u2019s banking systems would require secondary confirmation before funds moved.<\/p>\n
Enough time, they hoped.<\/p>\n
Then came the announcement.<\/p>\n
Richard demanded Vincent record a video stating he was stepping away due to personal instability.<\/p>\n
The phrase made Vincent stare at the camera.<\/p>\n
Personal instability.<\/p>\n
The same narrative.<\/p>\n
First Isabella.<\/p>\n
Then him.<\/p>\n
He recorded it anyway.<\/p>\n
\u201cI, Vincent Moretti, am taking an immediate temporary leave from active management responsibilities due to urgent personal circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n
He refused Richard\u2019s requested wording.<\/p>\n
No instability.<\/p>\n
No admission of incapacity.<\/p>\n
Torres approved.<\/p>\n
The files were sent.<\/p>\n
Three minutes passed.<\/p>\n
Then five.<\/p>\n
Richard called.<\/p>\n
\u201cBetter than I expected.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Leo?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll get coordinates.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter board acknowledgment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said after I signed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI changed the condition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s face became murderous.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said he would be returned.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou move the goalposts again and I burn the company myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou poisoned my sons for years because you thought I loved control more than them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s voice was steady now.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou misunderstood me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The laugh stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cTest me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Then Richard said, \u201cCheck your phone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The call ended.<\/p>\n
Coordinates appeared.<\/p>\n
An old riverside freight depot.<\/p>\n
Twenty-eight miles south.<\/p>\n
Police mobilized instantly.<\/p>\n
Then another message arrived.<\/p>\n
COME ALONE OR HE DOESN\u2019T LEAVE.<\/p>\n
Vincent looked at Torres.<\/p>\n
She already knew he planned to ignore that.<\/p>\n
At the estate, I received a call from Vincent before they moved.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep Lucas inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo not tell him where we\u2019re going.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVincent.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went quiet.<\/p>\n
\u201cBring Leo back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou cannot promise that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI already promised Lucas.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice cracked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m running out of promises I can afford to break.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before I could answer, Lucas appeared behind me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent heard.<\/p>\n
I gave him the phone.<\/p>\n
Lucas held it tightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you find him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know where he is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs Richard there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs Leo okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
Then he said something neither of us expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk him about the moon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLeo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he\u2019s scared and pretending, ask about the moon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our code.\u201d<\/p>\n
I crouched beside Lucas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat code?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf one of us can\u2019t tell the truth, we ask whether the moon is blue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent went silent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he says yes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf no?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSafe.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Lucas.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou two have a lot of codes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe get bored.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent almost laughed.<\/p>\n
Almost.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll ask him.\u201d<\/p>\n
He ended the call.<\/p>\n
The convoy moved toward the river.<\/p>\n
At 3:42 a.m., Vincent\u2019s phone rang again.<\/p>\n
Leo.<\/p>\n
No Richard speaking first this time.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you coming?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent looked at Torres.<\/p>\n
Then remembered.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you see the moon?\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it blue?\u201d<\/p>\n
A longer pause.<\/p>\n
Everyone in the vehicle stopped breathing.<\/p>\n
Then Leo whispered, \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The call cut.<\/p>\n
Vincent looked at Torres.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means Richard is lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Vincent stared through the windshield toward the distant river lights.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything.\u201d<\/p>\n
For one breath, Vincent could not make sense of the sentence. \u201cYou took him.\u201d Ethan nodded. \u201cYes.\u201d \u201cThen you gave him to Richard?\u201d \u201cNo.\u201d \u201cWhere is he?\u201d \u201cI lost him.\u201d … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chapter-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5888"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5908,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5888\/revisions\/5908"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}