With Al tech and the police sketch artists, it wouldn''t be hard to figure out what the girl looked like now. Finding her shouldn''t be much of a problem.


    "I hope you mean what you say."


    "In ten days, call mywyer. I''ll let you see your daughter. If you don''t..." Reese''s voice dropped, her eyes narrowing in warning.


    "I will, I promise, I''ll call..." The words tumbled out in a rush.


    Satisfied, Reese managed a quick smile before turning to leave the stuffy little room. She didn''t let herself rx until she reached the stairwellnding, where she paused to press a hand over her racing heart.


    "Good job. You handled that like a pro," George said as he caught up with her at the corner, his tone reassuring. "If we really get our hands on the evidence he has, we can finally take Grace down."


    Reese tried to smile, though it came out a little shaky. "Did you get everything on tape?"


    George nodded. "All of it. But this recording won''t fly in court."


    She already knew that. Just because it couldn''t be used as evidence didn''t mean it was useless. That was why she''d gone so hard-mixing threats and promises until Alex said what needed to be said.


    "It''s fine. Send it to me. I''ve got a friend on the force. With this recording, he can at least open an investigation. We''ll find something solid."


    They climbed into the car and pulled away from the shabby apartment building. George checked the rearview mirror, his brow furrowing. “We''re being followed."


    Reese twisted around. Sure enough, a ck sedan stuck to them, never more than thirty feet away. The windows were so tinted, it was impossible to see who was inside.


    "Grace''s people?" Reese''s nerves spiked.


    "Can''t say for sure, but they''re definitely not friendly."


    George kept his voice even, though his knuckles whitened on the wheel and his eyes flicked between the road and the mirror.


    "There''s an intersection up ahead-if I take a left, we''ll hit the old city alleys. Lots of turns, super narrow. Perfect for shaking a tail."


    He put on his blinker and eased the car toward the sidene. The ck sedan followed every move, glued to their bumper.


    At the intersection, the light turned red. George didn''t even hesitate. He jerked the wheel and mmed his foot on the gas. Tires screeched, people on the sidewalk jumped back with startled shouts.


    The car behind clearly hadn''t expected them to run the light. By the time the driver


    hit the gas, George was already tearing into the maze of backstreets.


    The alleys were tight and winding, some barely wider than their car. Buildings crowded in on both sides,undry dangling so low it almost brushed the roof.


    Reese clung to the door handle, her pulse thundering in her ears, the whole world reduced to the roar of the engine and the shriek of tires.


    She nced back. The ck sedan was stilling, scraping its side along a


    brick wall and leaving a long streak, but refusing to give up.


    Just then, George spotted a tiny sidene, only wide enough for one car, with some old cardboard boxes piled at the entrance. Without missing a beat he swung the wheel and floored it, the car squeezing through and sending boxes flying.


    The sedan behind hesitated a second too long. Its front end mmed into the wall


    with a heavy crunch, headlights exploding in a shower of ss.


    George kept going, weaving through three more alleys, then finally burst onto the main road and melted into traffic.


    "Looks like we lost them."


    Reese slumped against her seat, letting out a shaky breath. When she finally felt steady, she pulled out her phone, found Roman''s number, and sen over the recording along with the photos Alex had given her.