Hank froze, a chill running down his spine as cold sweat prickled across his back.


    He recognized the voices right away. It was Jose and Danny, Bailey''s closest men from the Brookfield headquarters.


    Why were they here at the old house?


    He didn''t have time to figure it out. In one quick motion, he slipped the metal box into a faded book sleeve on the very top shelf, then grabbed two heavy volumes of historical records and lined them up to cover the spot perfectly. At a nce, nothing looked out of ce.


    With that done, he crossed over to the desk. His fingers brushed over the old fountain pen his mother Marie used to write with, and his eyesnded on the family photo that always sat there.


    It was thest picture they''d taken together, back when Reese was five. After the photo was developed, Reese had insisted on putting it right on the desk, so their mother could see her whenever she worked.


    The memory made Hank''s eyes sting, his breathing softer, almost shaky.


    The door creaked open. Jose and Danny stepped in, their polished shoes making heavy, dull sounds on the floorboards.


    "Hank, what brings you back to Brookfield all of a sudden?"


    Jose''s voice was cautious, his eyes darting around the room, taking everything in.


    Hank looked up. His eyes were rimmed with red, his face clouded with quiet sadness. “There''s just been a lot going on. I''ve been missing my mom, so I wanted toe back and see the old ce for a while."


    Danny drifted over to the bookshelf, running his hand along the spines with a casual air, but his eyes were sharp. "Trouble with your dad?" he asked.


    They''d gotten a call from Bailey, telling them to check if Hank had snuck back to the family house. Both of them thought it was unlikely and hadn''t expected to actually find him here.


    Danny''s fingers brushed right past the books hiding the metal box. Hank''s heart skipped a beat, his grip tightening on the fountain pen.


    "No, nothing like that. He''s my father. Whatever he decides, I know it''s for my own good." Hank''s voice was calm, but it sounded a little tired. Things at work have been overwhelming. The deal with de stiff hasn''te together, and the pressure''s been a lottely. I thought maybe being here, where I can feel my mom around me, would help me clear my head."


    Jose leaned against the doorway, arms folded, watching him closely. "You and Mr. Meyer really are cut from the same cloth. He''s been thinking about your mom, too. He''s too busy toe himself but he called and asked us to pick up something of hers for him."


    Hank nodded, his eyes flickering with just the right amount of guilt. "He''s been stressed outtely because of Grace. He''s worried things could get out of hand and mess up the partnership between Vista Tech and de."


    He let out a quiet sigh. "It''s my fault. I just... I couldn''t get Reese to drop the case."


    He nced at Jose, his voice softening. "Could you talk to my dad for me? Tell him to take care of his health."


    "Of course," Jose replied, nodding. He shot a quick look at Danny.


    Hank''s red eyes and heavy expression made it really seem like he''d juste back here looking forfort after a rough patch with Bailey They both wondered what secrets this empty old house could possibly hold that had Bailey so on edge.


    Still, they had to y their part. Danny pulled his hand away from the shelf and shrugged, "Since you''re here, maybe you can help us pick what to send to Mr. Meyer."


    Hank held out the fountain pen. "Take this to him. I remember he gave it to Mom for their tenth anniversary."


    Danny took the pen and met Hank''s gaze. "You''re not leaving?"


    Hank looked back at the photo on the desk, his eyes darkening. "I just want to stay a little longer."


    At that, Danny and Jose exchanged another nce. They didn''t say anything, and they didn''t leave either.


    The room fellpletely silent, thick with unspoken tension.