He Thought His Mother Was Dead for 8 Years—Until She Appeared on Screen as a Gunman Threatened His Wife!

Mara lunged at Adrian before anyone could stop her. Her palms slammed into his chest. He staggered but didn't raise his hands.

“You handed her over!”

“I didn't know it was her.”

“You didn't want to know.”

That landed harder than the blow. Adrian swallowed. “You're right.”

June paused the recording. “Wait. The child's looking off-camera every time she speaks. Someone's feeding her lines.”

“Does that make it better?” Mara demanded.

“No,” June said. “But it means somebody wanted you to see this exact version.”

Ruiz inspected the file information. “Created two days ago. Not twelve years ago.”

Mara stared at Lily's frightened face. The video was real, but the accusation had been recorded recently. Somebody still had access to her sister.

June found a roster of relocated children. Most names were replaced by numbers. Lily had been assigned the identifier E-6 and a new identity: Nina Price, daughter of Dr. Helen Price.

“Price ran the clinic,” Ruiz said. “And the state funded it through charities linked to Graham.”

“Where is she now?” Mara asked.

June searched local registries. “Northpoint Medical Center. Pediatric research director.”

Adrian stepped forward. “Then we go there.”

Mara looked at him as if he were a stranger—which, in most ways, he was. “You're not coming with me.”

“I can get you inside.”

“I'd rather climb through a window.”

“Then I'll be underneath it if you fall.”

June snorted. “The guy's got terrible timing, but that's not a bad answer.”

The shop bell jingled. Everyone turned.

A teenager in a delivery jacket stood in the doorway holding a pizza box. “Order for June?”

“I didn't order—”

The kid dropped the box and ran. Something inside beeped.

“Back door!” June shouted.

She threw the box into a steel parts cabinet and slammed it shut. The explosion blew out the shop's front windows, sending them crashing to the floor. As the dust settled, June peered at her computer.