Then a man's voice spoke.
"Director Bennett."
Victoria froze.
The voice was unfamiliar.
But the words were unmistakable.
"Tell your people to stop looking into things that don't concern them."
The call ended.
Victoria stared at the phone.
Sarah had already reached for her coat.
"We're going to her house."
Victoria nodded.
"Now."
And as the team rushed toward the exit, another message appeared on Victoria's secure phone.
It came from an unknown sender.
There was no greeting.
No explanation.
Only a photograph.
It showed Emily Carter leaving the federal facility that morning.
Beneath the photograph were seven words:
You found her father. Don't lose her daughter.
Victoria felt the blood drain from her face.
The investigation had just become personal.
And someone had decided that threatening witnesses was no longer enough.
They were now targeting the people those witnesses loved.
Victoria stared at the photograph on her phone.
Emily was smiling in the picture. She was standing outside the federal building, carrying the same backpack she had brought when she reunited with her father.
Someone had been watching her.
Someone had followed her movements, photographed her, and sent the image directly to the person leading the investigation.
Victoria immediately called Sarah.
"Change the protection arrangements around Emily."
Sarah was already moving toward the exit.
"She's currently at the secure residence with her father."
"Then make sure nobody leaves that building without authorization. I want two additional agents at every entrance."
"Understood."
Victoria looked at Ryan Mitchell.
"Deputy, I need you to stay here. Don't contact anyone from your department. Don't answer calls from unfamiliar numbers."
Ryan nodded.
"Is Emily in danger?"
Victoria showed him the photograph.
His expression changed.
"Who would do something like this?"
"Someone who believes we're getting too close to the truth."
Victoria put her phone away.
"And we're going to find out who."
The drive to Margaret Ellis's house took twenty-seven minutes.
Rain had begun falling heavily, turning the roads into dark, reflective surfaces. Victoria sat in the passenger seat while Sarah coordinated with the security team.
Two federal vehicles followed behind them.
When they reached Margaret's neighborhood, the street appeared unusually quiet.
Most of the houses were dark.
A single vehicle was parked across from Margaret's property.
It was a black sedan.
The headlights were off.
Sarah noticed it immediately.
"That's probably the vehicle she described."
Victoria looked through the windshield.
"Can we identify the registration?"
The driver slowed down.
An agent in the following vehicle began checking the license plate through the appropriate databases.
Then the black sedan's engine started.
"Wait," Sarah said.
The vehicle pulled away from the curb.
It accelerated toward the intersection.
"Follow it," Victoria instructed.
The federal vehicle behind them moved immediately.
But the sedan turned sharply onto a narrow residential street and disappeared around the corner.
By the time the agents reached the intersection, it was gone.
Victoria looked toward Margaret's house.
"Forget the car. We need to check on her."
The team approached the front entrance.
Sarah knocked three times.
"Margaret? It's Sarah Collins. We're here."
No response.
She knocked again.
"Margaret, please answer."
A faint sound came from inside.
Then the door opened slightly.
Margaret stood behind it.
Her face was pale, and her hands were trembling.
"Oh, thank God."
Victoria stepped inside.
"Are you hurt?"
Margaret shook her head.
"No. But they were here."
"Who?"
"Two men. They came about an hour ago."
Sarah immediately began checking the house.
"Did they enter?"
Margaret nodded.
"They said they were from the sheriff's department. They wanted to ask me about the files."
"Did they show identification?"
"One of them did. But I didn't recognize him."
Victoria exchanged a glance with Sarah.
"What did they want?"
Margaret walked toward the living room.
"They asked where I had hidden the original records. They wanted to know whether David Carter was alive."
"And what did you tell them?"
"Nothing."
"Did they threaten you?"
Margaret nodded slowly.
"One of them said that if I continued helping you, I would end up like David."
Victoria's expression hardened.
"Did you recognize either man?"
Margaret hesitated.
Then she pointed toward a photograph on the mantelpiece.
It showed several officers standing together at a department event.
"That one."
Sarah approached the photograph.
Margaret pointed at a tall man standing beside Sheriff Whitmore.
"His name is Sergeant Blake."
Victoria recognized the name immediately.
The same officer Ryan had identified as the person who assaulted Thomas Reed.
"Are you certain?"
Margaret nodded.
"He was one of the men who came here."
Sarah photographed the picture.
"Where is the second man?"