“Why would he put it there?” I asked.

“He was paranoid,” Daniel said. “He thought the feds were watching his office, so he kept his codes on him.”

“He forgot he left them in the cuff when he threw the shirt at you,” Daniel added.

“Why are you telling me this now?” I asked.

“He stiffed me on my fee for the dummy corporation setup,” Daniel said. “And I don’t like being cheated.”

The line went dead.

I slowly lowered the phone, my fingers numb.

Nolan looked up at me, his eyes wide and innocent.

“Is everything okay, Mom?” he asked.

“Yes, sweetie,” I said, forcing a smile. “Just a business call.”

Renee leaned over and opened the passenger side door.

“Is everything alright, Claire?” she asked.

“I need to go home, Renee,” I said. “Right away.”

Renee didn’t ask questions; she just nodded and started the engine.

The drive back to my modest apartment was silent, save for the hum of the windshield wipers.

The rain had stopped, but the streets of Knoxville were still slick and dark.

I held Nolan’s hand in the back seat, my mind racing.