North Point Ferry

June had left blood on the museum floor.

Not much. Enough to make Claire come apart in Ruby's arms and enough to make Elise's mind go clean and white.

Roslyn locked the museum down. Greer was dragged into custody shouting for a lawyer. Donors clustered near the bar, useless and frightened. The big screens stayed live because Martin wanted an audience.

June sat beside him in the back of the car. Her lip was split. Her eyes were dry.

"Say hello, June," Martin said.

June looked at the camera. "Do not give him anything."

Martin struck her off-screen.

Claire screamed again.

Ruby stood, swaying. "Give him me."

Elise turned. "No."

"He wants leverage over the account. I am birth mother. Claire is adoptive mother. June is beneficiary. You are trustee lock. He will trade one of us for another until someone breaks."

Theo was at the AV table, tracing the live feed. "Signal is bouncing through three relays."

Roslyn said, "Location?"

"Not yet."

Martin leaned toward the camera. "Elise, the custody account unlocks with a court order or all interested parties consenting. You, Claire, Ruby, and June. Bring the consent forms Vivian hid in her binder, and I release the child."

"The binder is in evidence," Elise said.

"Then steal it. You are a Hart."

The screen went black.

Elise turned to Roslyn. "How did he get June out?"

Roslyn's jaw was tight. "We are checking footage."

Claire grabbed Elise's arm. "Find her."

Elise did not tell her to calm down. Calm was an insult.

Theo waved her over. "The feed glitched when he hit her. I caught one raw frame before the relay masked it."

He zoomed in on the car window. Reflected outside was a sign: NORTH POINT FERRY.

Adam went pale. "There is an old ferry office by the private airstrip."

Elise took the temporary identity order from her purse and folded it into her coat pocket.

Alive was no longer enough.