“Who’s there?” a woman’s voice gasped through the speaker.

It was Vivian Mercer.

Her voice sounded thin, exhausted, and utterly terrified.

“Vivian,” Marco said, his tone firm but calm. “It’s Marco. Ryker Steel sent me.”

A sharp intake of breath came over the line.

“How did you find me?” she whispered.

“You left a trail, Vivian,” Marco said. “And Gideon’s men are looking for you, too.”

“They’re going to kill me,” she sobbed, the sound muffled as if she had her hands over her face. “You don’t understand. I had no choice.”

Ryker leaned over the desk, his eyes fixed on the vibrating phone.

“Tell us why you did it, Vivian,” Ryker spoke into the transmitter. “I’m listening.”

There was a long pause on the other end, filled only with the sound of her weeping.

“Ryker?” she asked faintly.

“I’m here,” Ryker said. “Tell me why you left my sister’s children at O’Hare.”

“It was Gideon,” she whimpered. “He… he has my daughter, Ryker.”

I felt a cold chill run down my spine.

Tessa took a sharp breath, her fingers hovering over her keyboard to take notes.