“Initiating routing sequence,” Reed said. “The holding ledger is active. The funds are being diverted now.”

We stared at the screen.

Suddenly, Chloe’s phone on the table began to vibrate.

The screen lit up, displaying Lucas’s name and a photo of him smiling on a hiking trail.

Chloe gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

“Answer it,” I whispered. “Keep him on the line.”

Chloe looked at me, her eyes wide with terror, then slowly reached out her hand and slid the green bar across the screen.

She put it on speaker.

“Lucas?” she said, her voice trembling despite her best efforts.

“Chloe,” Lucas’s voice came through, clear and warm, filled with an easy confidence that made my stomach turn. “I’m at the condo. Where are you?”

Chloe looked at me, her lips parted, unable to find the words.

I nodded at her, urging her silently to speak.

“I… I’m still in Denver,” Chloe said, her voice cracking. “The weather is bad. My flight got pushed back.”

There was a brief pause on the other end.