“You think Daniel sent it?”
“Maybe.”
A howl of wind moved through the trees.
Then Marcus's phone vibrated.
One message.
No number.
Ranger knows where the original is.
Marcus stared at the words.
Cole whispered, “That's impossible.”
Marcus looked toward the road.
“No.”
He thought of the dog.
“It's the only thing that makes sense.”
Ranger was awake when Marcus returned to the veterinary clinic.
The dog lifted his head.
Marcus sat beside him.
“Where is it, boy?”
Ranger stared at him.
Marcus held up the photograph from Harbor Street.
Then the memory card.
Ranger sniffed both.
He suddenly became restless.
His injured leg trembled.
“Easy.”
Ranger turned toward the door.
Marcus followed his gaze.
The veterinarian entered.
“You shouldn't excite him.”
“I need to ask something.”
“What?”
“Does Ranger remember places after anesthesia?”
The veterinarian smiled.
“He remembers more than you think.”
Marcus looked at Ranger.
The dog began whining.
Not from pain.
Direction.
Marcus remembered something.
During the Harbor Street seizure, Ranger had been allowed to inspect the surrounding property after the containers were secured.
He had disappeared briefly.
The official report said he had chased a scent toward the loading docks.
Marcus had never questioned it.
Now he did.
He pulled up a map.
There was an abandoned freight office beside the warehouse.
“That's where he went.”
Cole stared.
“What's there?”
“I don't know.”
Porter called.
Her voice was quiet.
“I got out.”
Marcus exhaled.
“Are you safe?”
“For now.”
“Warren?”
“Searching.”
Marcus explained the freight office.
Porter agreed to meet them.
They arrived before dawn.
The office was condemned.
The windows were boarded.
Ranger could barely walk, but Marcus carried him inside.
The dog suddenly struggled.
Marcus lowered him.
Ranger limped toward a concrete wall.
He sniffed the base.
Then scratched.
Marcus crouched.
There was a hollow sound.
Cole found a loose brick.
Behind it was a narrow compartment.
Inside sat a small metal recorder.
Marcus's hands shook as he removed it.
The original.
Cole whispered, “We found it.”
Then the door slammed shut.
Someone had locked them inside.
Smoke began filling the room.
“Fire!”
Cole kicked the door.
It didn't move.
Porter shouted from the other side.
“Get away from the wall!”
Marcus wrapped his jacket around Ranger.
The smoke thickened.
Cole kicked again.
Nothing.
Marcus looked at the ceiling.
An old ventilation hatch.
Too high.
Cole boosted Marcus.
Marcus reached it and pulled.
The hatch opened.
“Cole!”
Cole lifted Ranger.
Marcus pulled the dog upward.
Porter helped from outside.
They crawled onto the roof.
Behind them, smoke poured from the windows.
Marcus held the recorder.
“Someone tried to destroy it.”
Porter looked toward the road.
A black SUV was disappearing around the corner.
Cole started running after it.
Marcus shouted.
“Stop!”
Cole turned.
“Why?”