His wife was never meant to survive

I

r brother's face marked for

ice cracked.

handed it to his security chief. "T

not have jur

ice was lethal. "If anything happens to Ethan T

n disa

r chest was tight, her vis

r's arm. "They are going t

s arm free, his expression carved fr

my br

this knows that. They know you will do anything to save him. Which

t him. To shake him. To

e was

s pani

would not

rself to brea

ietly. "What do they wa

ned. "That is what

ground garage beneath a buil

rst and gestured

top floor. No buttons. No stops. J

stepped into a sleek office

he walls. Maps.

of it all, arms crossed,

hur. Late forties. Sh

rthur said. "Thi

h f

or H

d seen it in the news. A boar

had brought

each his eyes. "Mrs. Lucas. Con

id it made he

" Kiah said

trust," Arthur said. "He has been h

cations. Payments. Patterns. Whoever is behind this is well-fun

he photo of her and the stranger outside the c

an in the pho

"We do not know yet. But we are running faci

" Kiah's voice was tight.

tor said. "Rushing means mistakes.

the monitors, his gaze fi

y. Red dots scat

those?"

," Arthur said. "The courthouse. The law fi

caught. "My fa

es

her mind racing. "You th

wly, "that your father kno

TH

Kiah process

rter than most peo

otional. And emotio

her focu

in fear for

thout looking away from

d and left w

oor closed, Kiah

Her voice was shaking. "He is a judge. He h

of whiskey. He held one out to her. "Your father has been a judge for th

he glass. "He would

ople like your father are useful to people like Victor. They

works

"He has his own agenda. And right now, that agenda a

m. "Then why did

not in prison because he committed a crime. He is in prison because someone wanted him s

t know a

r's gaze was relentless. "And unt

ed into fists. "S

from his pocket. Not h

it out

d you are going to ask him about Ethan's case. Ev

h shaking hands. "And i

know he is hid

I

burner phone like i

s sentencing. He had stood in the courtroom a

ad done

lieved the sy

destroyed h

mber and pressed t

times before

el

was the same. Ste

her want

ice cracked.

le

rd about you

he press conference

to you," Kiah sa

e. "Kiah, I

out. "They gave me two days. I need to know what he sa

as convicted based on evidence. I have reviewed th

are l

e in over your head. Marrying Arthur Luc

rying to

e hardened. "And if you are not car

ne wen

the phone, her

he say?" A

hollow. "But he was about to

d checked the call log.

traced," he

oes tha

Arthur's jaw tightened. "And now t

d respond, Arthu

d immediat

ce wen

pause. "Ar

call and tu

to leav

happ

d her toward the elevator. "Ther

t stopped.

bruising. "But three guards are d

mess

opened, and Arthu

his expression colder t

he next bomb

ing when they re

to the back seat and

we going?

where

"They just bombed a prison. They are going

r face, forcing h

rous. "You are not going to die. I will

m, her breath com

ispered. "Why

. For a moment, she th

et her go and

he said quietly. "And no

TH

e window as the car

already three

was a messag

wanted Kiah to know they

lace that should

n. Another message fr

her. She knows too m

ed it and ma

laying defens

e to go on

r's number and sen

prison. Every name. Every dat

se came im

working

the phone and

hands, her face pale,

oked f

hur kne

s stronger tha

did not k

his was over, she

nting her would not s

rned the world dow

to a private estat

ed guards. Came

h out of the car

s modern. Co

ort

until I deal with

to him. "You

ave

said I was not safe. If I am n

s arm free. "I c

ca

s sharp. "Stay here. Do not leave. Do

tears she refused to l

the first time in years, he fe

ing da

he could n

not me," he

t, leaving her al

d behind him, Arthur

d whoever wa

uld make

cost him

I

e empty house, h

was

ap

ing out

r phone from her poc

tact. O

ea who was on

as out of

led the

ang

ic

answered. L

have been waitin

d turned

are

pa

r brother saw. And someone

pounded. "Wha

Come alone. If you bring Arth

he

gave her a

line we

frozen, her

twenty-f

t would either s

troy t