Before I could answer, a sharp chime cut through the room.

Gabriel’s phone, resting on the coffee table, buzzed against the wood.

The screen lit up with a secure notification icon from his firm’s private network.

He picked it up and swiped the screen, his face hardening as he read the message.

“What is it?” I asked, leaning forward.

“It is from my contact monitoring the bookings at the federal courthouse,” Gabriel said.

He slowly set the phone back on the table, his grip still tight.

“They just finished processing Ethan’s arrest.”

“But someone has already posted his bail.”

“An anonymous offshore entity filed the bond ten minutes ago.”

The elevator bell in the hallway chimed again.

The security light above the penthouse door flickered from red to green.

Gabriel reached into his jacket, his hand resting flat against his holster.

The elevator doors slid open with a soft hiss.

Marcus, Gabriel’s head of security, stepped out onto the hardwood floor of the foyer.

He held a thick manila envelope sealed with red wax.