Gavin Ror expected Ross Ferry.

He did not expect Detective Lena Ortiz.

When the elevator opened inside the private garage, Gavin was leaning against a concrete pillar.

Gray suit.

No tie.

Hands visible.

Ortiz approached with two detectives.

Ross remained behind them.

Gavin laughed.

“You brought police?”

Ross answered calmly.

“You tried to abduct a woman.”

“I didn’t touch anybody.”

“You ordered it.”

“Prove it.”

Ortiz stepped forward.

“We’re working on that.”

Gavin’s smile faded.

“You must be Detective Ortiz.”

“And you must be someone who should call an attorney.”

Gavin looked past her.

“Ross, we need five minutes.”

“No.”

“Your people won’t like you cooperating with police.”

“They’ll survive.”

“This isn’t how men like us handle problems.”

Ross’s voice remained flat.

“You stopped being my problem when you sent men after Beth. Now you’re hers.”

He nodded toward Ortiz.

Gavin stared at him.

“You think handing over that ledger makes you clean?”

“No.”

The answer surprised everyone.

Ross continued.

“It makes me a witness.”

Gavin laughed.

“You’re suddenly respectable?”

“No.”

“Then what changed?”

Ross looked at him.

“Beth called me.”

The garage went quiet.

Gavin’s smile slowly returned.

“There it is.”

Ross didn’t move.

“The great Ross Ferry finally has something to lose.”

Ortiz interrupted.

“Mr. Ror, unless you’re here to voluntarily answer questions, this conversation is over.”

Gavin stepped backward.

“I came to offer peace.”

Ross said, “You sent men to drag Beth from her car.”

“That wasn’t supposed to happen like that.”

Ross’s expression changed.

Ortiz caught it immediately.

“Interesting wording.”

Gavin realized his mistake.

“I’m done talking.”

“You should be,” Ortiz said.

Gavin walked toward his vehicle.

Ross watched him leave.

Victor stepped closer.

“You could have ended this years ago.”

Ross looked at him.

“I’m trying to end it without starting something worse.”

---

Beth spent that afternoon with Margaret Ferry.

Margaret arrived at Beth’s apartment carrying soup and behaving as though police protection outside the building was perfectly normal.

“You look terrible,” Margaret announced.

Beth stared at her.

“Good afternoon to you too.”

“I brought chicken soup.”

“That helps.”

Margaret set the container down.

“Ross told me what happened.”

“I assumed he would.”

“He also told me Gavin Ror used me to find you.”

Beth sat at the kitchen table.

“That wasn’t your fault.”

“I know.”

Margaret watched her.

“My son cares about you.”

Beth nearly dropped her spoon.

“Margaret.”

“What?”

“We’re not having this conversation.”

“Why not?”

“Because someone tried to kidnap me yesterday.”

“That seems like an excellent reason to stop wasting time.”

Beth laughed despite herself.

“You’re impossible.”

“My son inherited it.”

The doorbell rang.

Beth froze.

Margaret noticed.

So did the officer outside.

“Miss Sloan,” he called through the door. “Delivery. Cleared.”

Beth exhaled.

A small envelope was brought inside.

No return address.

Margaret looked at it.

“Don’t open that.”

Beth stared.

“You and Ross really are related.”

The officer took the envelope.

Inside was a single photograph.

Ross standing beside Beth’s ambulance.

On the back were three words:

Ask about Victor.

Beth’s smile disappeared.

---

Ross arrived twenty minutes later.

Victor came with him.

Beth held up the photograph.

“Tell me this is nonsense.”

Ross looked at Victor.

Victor looked genuinely confused.

“What is that?”

Beth handed it to him.

Victor read the back.

“Someone wants you suspicious of me.”

“Are you surprised?” Ross asked.

“No.”

Beth studied Victor.

“How long have you worked for Ross?”

“Eleven years.”

“Who knew Ross gave me his private number?”

Victor’s face changed.

Ross noticed.

“Answer her.”

Victor hesitated.

“Three people.”

“Who?”

“Me. Ross. And his mother.”

Margaret raised one finger.

“I told someone.”

Everyone turned.

Ross frowned.

“Who?”

Margaret looked embarrassed.

“Your cousin Daniel.”

Ross’s expression hardened.

“When?”

“The week I left rehabilitation.”

“Why?”

“He asked why you kept visiting after I was discharged.”

Beth slowly stood.

“And you told him?”

Margaret nodded.

“I said you were probably visiting Beth.”

Ross took out his phone.

Victor said, “Daniel handles routing.”

Beth looked at him.

“What does that mean?”

“He had access to the shipment schedules Gavin was stealing.”

Ross and Victor exchanged a look.

Beth understood.

“Oh.”

Ross dialed.

No answer.

Victor tried.

Nothing.

Then Ross received a text.

From Daniel.

I need to talk. Alone.

Beth read it over his shoulder.

“No.”

Ross looked at her.

“I haven’t said anything.”

“You’re doing the eyebrow thing again.”

Victor almost smiled.

Ross ignored him.

Beth pointed toward the police officer outside.

“You promised.”

Ross looked at the message.

Then at Beth.

“Fine.”

He forwarded it to Ortiz.

Beth relaxed.

“Personal growth.”

Ross sighed.

“I regret teaching you that phrase.”

---