Chapter 7 - The Signature

"I didn't authorize that," Ethan said.

"Your account did," Lena replied. "It just locked the service elevators."

Claire took two steps away from him. "You expect me to believe that's a coincidence?"

"My mother owns the company. She owns my passwords. She even owns the phone plan."

"And apparently she owns your courage."

He accepted that without defending himself. For the first time all night, his silence felt honest.

Lena found an exterior fire stair that opened onto an alley. Below them, flashing lights washed the tower red. Firefighters were questioning people in evening clothes. Claire started toward them, but Lena grabbed her arm.

"Pike's already there. He'll hand them a story about a disturbed wife. First we get your daughter, then we go back with evidence."

They slipped out through the service doors into cold rain. A delivery driver smoking by a box truck stared at Claire's bare feet and ripped dress.

"Rough party?" he asked.

"You have no idea," she said.

Lena paid him for work boots. They were too big. Claire wore them anyway.

Nina called from an unknown number as they reached Lena's battered sedan.

"I'm alive," Nina said before Claire could speak. "Someone broke into my apartment. I got out the back window."

"You said Ruth left a recording."

"She did. I played it twice. Claire, she was inside Riverbend the night of the fire. She was auditing the property office after hours."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"She tried. She got scared. Then she saw what Vale is building at North Pier."

Claire looked toward the black river beyond the office towers.

"What is she building?"

"A private waterfront complex. Same contractor. Same cheap emergency doors. Same forged inspections. But that's not the worst part."

"Nina, please."

"Ruth says one person gave the order to chain the exits at Riverbend. She recorded his voice on her phone."

"Who?"

A pause. Then Nina said, "The voice belongs to Damon Pike."

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On the ground beneath it sat Ellie's pink backpack.