He was using Lucas and Mason to bait me.

I knew my boys were safe with my sister for tonight, but Daniel’s reach was growing shorter.

He was getting desperate.

I put the car in gear and drove toward the financial district.

The tall glass towers of the city rose like dark pillars against the graying sky.

I parked in the underground garage of the Sterling Building at 6:30 AM.

The air in the garage was cold and smelled of concrete and exhaust fumes.

I clutched the folder containing the printed copies of the ledger pages under my arm.

I took the elevator up to the penthouse suite.

The doors slid open to a quiet lobby decorated with white marble and brushed brass.

A receptionist looked up from her desk, her expression neutral.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“I have a seven o’clock appointment with Charles Sterling,” I said.

“Your name, please?”

“Emily Carter.”

She hesitated, her eyes dropping to the thick manila folder in my hand.

She picked up her phone and spoke in a low voice.

A moment later, she nodded to me.