“Yes.”
“And?”
Liam’s expression shifted.
“He put me on hold.”
“How long?”
“A few minutes.”
“Then what?”
“He asked me to repeat your name.”
My heartbeat quickened.
“And?”
“He said he needed to speak with Halden’s legal counsel before discussing anything else.”
I stared at him.
“That isn’t normal.”
“I gathered that.”
“No, Liam. You don’t understand.”
I struggled to sit a little straighter.
This time, he helped adjust the bed rather than arguing.
“An investigative firm doesn’t panic because a client’s brother calls an emergency line. Not if the client simply fell for a fake portal.”
“What are you saying?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Maya.”
“Claire didn’t leave three weeks ago.”
“Bell said—”
“She emailed me from the real Halden address twenty-four days ago.”
Liam stopped.
“Can you prove that?”
“The messages are on the drive I gave you.”
Silence.
I watched understanding arrive.
