My father’s phone vibrated in his hand.

He looked at the screen and held it up so I could see the caller ID.

It was an incoming call from Ethan.

My father pressed the button to accept the call but kept the line muted.

We listened to the heavy, ragged breathing on the other end of the line.

“Hannah,” Ethan’s voice whispered from the speaker, sounding small and terrified. “Please tell me you got the key.”

I didn’t answer.

“I can’t keep my mother quiet much longer,” Ethan said, his voice cracking. “She’s talking about taking the baby to the estate in Maryland.”

My father released the mute button.

“She won’t be moving anyone, Ethan,” my father said.

There was a long, cold silence on the line.

“Colonel,” Ethan stammered. “I… I didn’t know she was going to freeze your accounts.”

“You signed the documents, Ethan,” my father said. “We have the files. We have the names of the shell companies.”

“You don’t understand,” Ethan said, his voice rising in panic. “She made me sign them. She said it was the only way to protect the family business.”