“Is she there?” I asked.

“She was, until three months ago,” Marco said.

“Marissa targeted her.”

“What do you mean?” Ryker asked.

“Marissa hired a private investigator to dig into Clara’s past,” Marco explained.

“She found some old financial debts from Clara’s failed business.”

“Then Marissa bought out those debts through a shell company.”

“She threatened to foreclose on Clara’s home if she came near the kids.”

“Clara lost her shop anyway.”

“She went bankrupt trying to fight it.”

“She fled to a small town outside of Valparaiso to hide from Marissa’s lawyers.”

I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the draft in the kitchen.

“Marissa systematically isolated those children,” I said.

“Yes,” Marco said.

“And she made sure Clara was legally barred from contacting them.”

“I am heading to Clara’s last known address now.”

“Be careful,” Ryker said.

“Marissa might have eyes on her still.”

“Understood,” Marco said.

The line went dead.

Ryker set the phone down on the marble counter.

He rubbed his temples with his fingers, his face pale under the kitchen lights.