looked away.

Daniel realized with discomfort that a woman who had been in his home eleven days had reached a place in his son that millions of dollars and dozens of experts had not.

Then came the sound of tires on gravel.

Mara stiffened.

Daniel noticed immediately.

A black sedan rolled beyond the front gates and stopped.

Noah looked toward the windows.

“Who is that?”

Mara stepped backward.

“Daniel.”

Something in her tone changed the room.

“What?”

“Don’t tell him about the letter.”

“Tell who?”

The gate camera chimed through the wall intercom.

Daniel glanced at the security display.

Victor Hale stood beside his sedan in a charcoal coat, silver hair neatly combed, one hand raised casually toward the camera.

Daniel’s stomach tightened.

Victor never came without calling.

Not anymore.

Noah smiled faintly.

“Uncle Victor.”

Mara did not.

“He found me,” she whispered.

Daniel looked at her.

“What are you talking about?”

Mara turned away from the window.

“My mother disappeared six months ago.

Three weeks before that, she said someone had started following her again.

A man in a gray SUV.

She gave me Claire’s box and told me to find Noah if anything happened.”

Daniel stared at Victor on the monitor.

“You think he came because you’re here?”

“I don’t think it.”

“Then what?”

“He texted me this morning.”

Daniel’s head snapped toward her.

“Victor has your number?”

Mara took out her phone.

The screen was turned away from Noah.

Daniel read the message.

We should discuss your mother before you make a mistake.

No signature.

But beneath the message was a photograph.

Mara entering Daniel’s estate two days earlier carrying groceries.

Daniel felt a chill move across his shoulders.

The intercom chimed again.

He pressed the button.

“Victor.”

“Danny,” Victor said warmly.

“I was nearby.

Thought I’d check on you and Noah.”

“Nearby?”

“Close enough.

Open the gate.”

Daniel looked toward Mara.

She shook her head once.

He opened it anyway.

Mara’s expression hardened.

“Why did you do that?”

“Because if he came here for you, I want to know why.”

The sedan approached the house.

Daniel told Noah to go upstairs.

“No.”

“Noah.”

“This is about Mom.”

“And I’m your father.

Go upstairs.”

Noah’s face tightened.

Then, instead of calling for his wheelchair, he reached for his crutches.

Daniel watched him rise carefully, using the rail and both crutches.

It was clumsy.

Painful.

Real.

Noah took one slow step toward the elevator.

Then another.

Daniel’s throat tightened.

Mara watched too, but neither of them spoke.

When the elevator doors closed, the front doorbell rang.

Victor entered smiling.

His gaze found Daniel first.

Then Mara.

The smile did not disappear, but it changed.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said.

Mara folded her hands in front of her.

“Mara Reyes.”

Victor’s eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.

Daniel caught it.

“Reyes,” Victor repeated.

“Yes.”

“Common name.”

“Not to everyone.”

Silence.

Victor turned toward Daniel.

“Can we talk privately?”

“No.”

Victor studied him.

“Something wrong?”

Daniel considered revealing the letter immediately.

Instead he remembered Mara’s warning.

“You tell me.

Why are you here?”

Victor smiled again.

“I said I was nearby.”

“You haven’t been nearby without calling in two years.”

Victor’s smile faded slightly.

“You’re in a strange mood.”

Daniel walked toward the sitting room.

“Come in.”

Victor followed.

Mara