“You don’t understand who you’re dealing with.”

Claire leaned toward the screen. “Are you talking about yourself, or Victor?”

Ethan’s face changed. He hadn’t expected us to find the passport. He moved away from the door. The hotel camera later showed him walking toward the emergency stairs.

By the time airport police reached the floor, he was gone. His car stayed in the garage. He’d taken only his phone. At 4:02 a.m., the phone went offline.

Dawn came slowly. Lauren sat at the dining table while Claire organized the documents. The house stayed quiet except for calls from investigators and attorneys.

I remained in Chicago; Martin advised me not to come back until the lockbox evidence had been formally copied and secured, and not to speak privately with Lauren, since anything either of us said could become part of the investigation.