MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD SAID HER STEPMOTHER LOCKED MOMMY AWAY, THEN A BRASS KEY OPENED THE ROOM THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING THAT NIGHT

Cole stood in the mud, water plastering his slicked-back hair to his forehead. He looked hollowed out—the cocky, smirking coward Daniel had confronted in the hallway weeks ago was replaced by a man cornered by monsters much bigger than himself.

Daniel jumped out of the truck, his fists balled, adrenaline surging like fire through his veins. “You violate your bail conditions to come after us? I’ll tear you apart, Cole!”

“Wait!” Cole screamed, raising both hands above his head, backing up until his spine hit the hood of his SUV. “Just shut up and listen for five seconds, Daniel! I didn't come to hurt you! If I wanted to hurt you, you’d already be dead!”

Rachel stepped out of the passenger side, her stance rigid, her phone already recording. “Give us one reason not to run you down right now.”

Cole laughed—a broken, hysterical sound that got lost in the downpour. “Because Vanessa isn’t in prison!”

The woods seemed to fall dead silent around them, save for the patter of rain on metal.

“What did you say?” Daniel whispered.

“She had a medical transfer at three this morning,” Cole rasped, shivering violently despite the humidity. “She faked an acute appendicitis. Induced it with toxic herbs she got smuggled through the commissary. The transport van never reached the hospital. Two men intercepted it on Route 9. The guards were neutralized with tranquilizers. She’s out, Daniel. And she knows you have the second key.”

Rachel took a step back, her hand flying to her mouth. “How could she know that?”

“Because I told her!” Cole shouted, tears cutting trails through the grime on his cheeks. “They threatened my sister! They told me if I didn't get that chip key from Lily’s bear, they’d bury my whole family under the same concrete they put your life under! Vanessa didn't just want to steal your husband, Rachel. She needed Daniel’s signature on the trust liquidation to unlock the vault. The vault under your house holds forty million in untraceable cartel bonds that my father laundered before he vanished!”

Daniel lunged forward, grabbing Cole by the collar of his coat and slamming him back against the SUV’s radiator. “Where is she, Cole? WHERE IS SHE?”