Grace''s eyes sparkled with a n as she nced at Seth, then turned to Alex. "Come with me. I''ll make sure everything''s taken care of for you. I''ll even find a way to clear your daughter''s name."


    Her words sounded convincing, almost hypnotic, but they snapped Alex back to his senses. Clear Nicole''s charges? How? She''d stolen state secrets. No one could make something like that disappear.


    He remembered the days trapped in his old house, Grace''s people watching his every move. He wasn''t about to go back to that life. But right now, he didn''t trust anyone-not Grace, not even Reese.


    Seth started moving toward him, slow and steady. Alex''s expression hardened. He snatched up his ID and the little cash he had on the table, shoved open the balcony door, and climbed over the railing. He didn''t stop to think. He grabbed the drainpipe and slid down as fast as he could, barely noticing as the rough metal tore at his hands. He hit the ground running and vanished into the trees beyond the apartmentplex.


    "Alex!" Reese shouted, dashing to the balcony. All she caught was a glimpse of his back as he disappeared.


    Matthew wanted to go after him, but he hesitated. He couldn''t risk leaving Reese alone with Grace''s people. Frustration flickered across his face.


    Reese took a deep breath, pushing down the panic rising in her chest. She red at Grace. "Do you really think you''re off the hook just because Alex ran and I don''t have the evidence?"


    Grace just smirked, her eyes full of challenge. "The police want witnesses and proof. Your witness is gone, and you don''t have any evidence. What can you do? Even your father and brother think your mom''s ident was just an ident. Maybe you should let it go."


    She turned to leave. As she walked past Seth, she whispered low, "Find Alex. Don''t let him cause any more trouble."


    Seth''s eyes narrowed. He answered softly and hurried away, skipping the elevator and taking the stairs instead.


    "Grace, you think you can just leave?" Reese called out, her voice sharp. She hadn''t heard what Grace told Seth, but she knew it couldn''t be good.


    Grace turned, looking annoyed. "And who''s going to stop me?"


    "You broke in." Reese pointed at the busted lock. "Let''s just wait for the police."


    Graceughed, shaking her head. "Still so naive, Reese. Do you even have proof?" She hadn''t noticed any cameras in the hallway. "And what makes you think you can actually stop me?"


    She walked to the elevator and pressed the button. The doors slid open, and a group of uniformed officers stepped out. Without hesitation, they moved in and cuffed Grace and her people.


    "What is this? Do you know who I am? You can''t just arrest me!"


    ?


    The lead officer stayed calm. "Grace, you''re suspected of uwful entry. Pleasee with us to the station He recognized her immediately the police had been keeping an eye on her for a while. There weren''tany security cameras in the corridor, but Alex had been under police watch They''d set up their own cameras inside and outside the apartment. They''d seen everything.


    "If you have anything to say, you can do it at the station," the officer told her. "We''ll


    also be notifying your family."


    Grace''s face finally changed. If Bailey or Hank found out about this, how could she possibly exin it?


    Reese watched as the police led


    Grace away, but there was no


    triumph in her heart. She just felt a wave of disappointmen She''d been


    so close to finding out where Alex had hidden the recording.


    Matthew saw the look on her face and tried to reassure her. "Don''t worry. Leslie''s verdict gets


    announced tomorrow. When Alex hears about it he definitely makeTM move. You''ve done everything you could, and the police are involved now. Let them handle it."