Victoria.
Adrian recognized her immediately.
"Make sure he doesn't stop at the office."
A man's voice answered.
"And the second vehicle?"
"It will already be waiting."
Adrian's face became expressionless.
The recording continued.
"Once he reaches the old quarry, nobody can see what happens."
The recording stopped.
Silence filled the driveway.
Adrian looked at the boy.
Then at the chauffeur.
Then toward the gate.
For the first time in twenty-three years, the walls of his own mansion no longer felt like protection.
They felt like a cage.
And somewhere beyond the gate, someone was waiting for him.
Adrian did not confront the chauffeur.
That would have been the easiest mistake to make.
Instead, he smiled.
"Thank you," he said.
The chauffeur looked relieved.
"Of course, sir."
Adrian walked toward the car.
Eli stared at him in confusion.
The boy whispered, "What are you doing?"
"Watching."
Adrian opened the rear passenger door.
The chauffeur stepped aside.
"After you, sir."
Adrian looked inside.
The leather seats were immaculate.
Too immaculate.
Samuel never kept the car this clean.
There was usually a newspaper on the passenger seat, a bottle of water in the cup holder and a pair of driving gloves near the console.
Now there was nothing.
Adrian suddenly noticed something else.
The driver's seat was positioned differently.
Samuel was six feet two.
The seat was always pushed far back.
This one had been moved forward.
Adrian smiled faintly.
"What's your name?"
"Thomas."
"Thomas what?"
The man's expression changed for half a second.
"Thomas Reed."
"How long have you worked for my wife?"
"Several months."
Adrian nodded.
He had never heard the name.
He closed the door.
"Wait here."
"Sir?"
"I forgot something."
Adrian turned around.
The chauffeur watched him carefully.
Eli followed.
They walked toward the mansion.
As soon as they entered, Adrian locked the door.
"Stay quiet," he told the boy.
"But—"
"Trust me."
Adrian pulled out his phone.
He called Samuel.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then he called his security chief, Marcus Bell.
The line connected.
"Sir?"
"Where are you?"
"On the north side of the property."
"Come inside immediately."
Marcus heard something in Adrian's voice.
"What's wrong?"
"Don't use the main entrance."
A pause.
"Understood."
Adrian turned toward the security monitors.
The mansion had thirty-two cameras.
He selected the driveway.
The image appeared.
The black sedan.
The fake driver.
Eli.
And beyond the gate—
A gray van.
Adrian zoomed in.
There was no company logo.
No license plate visible from the camera angle.
"Marcus."
"I'm here."
Marcus entered through a side door.
He was a former military officer in his late forties, calm under pressure and almost impossible to surprise.
Adrian showed him the recording.
Marcus watched it twice.
"That's your wife's voice."
"I know."
"And the boy?"
"His name is Eli."
Marcus looked at the child.
"Where did you get this?"
"I recorded them last night."
"Who?"
Eli pointed toward the driveway.
"Her."
Marcus looked at Adrian.
Adrian said nothing.
The silence told Marcus enough.
Then Eli spoke again.
"There is something else."
"What?" Adrian asked.
"The ring."
Adrian frowned.
"What ring?"
"The driver's ring."
Marcus immediately became alert.
Eli pointed toward the gate.
"Your real driver wears a silver ring."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
"I saw the fake driver take it."
Adrian froze.
"When?"
"Last night."
"Where?"
"The garage."
Eli's voice trembled.
"He was talking to a woman."
"Victoria?"
The boy nodded.
"They said the ring was important."
Adrian felt the room change around him.
A ring was just a ring.
Unless it wasn't.
"What did they do with it?"
Eli shook his head.