Page 168 of Hidden Tide

“I want all five of us in the room. I want the complete police reports from the studio, Hazel’s apartment and the vehicle collision. Every photograph. Every witness statement. Every traffic camera within six blocks of all three locations.”

“That could take hours.”

“Then we’d better start.”

For the first time since we learned someone entered Ivy’s studio, I feel the balance shifting.

Simon has been making us chase shadows.

Ben is about to turn one of them against him.

Marquez points toward the chairs.

“Bring your team in.”

Ben contacts the other four SEALs.

Less than five minutes later, Scott, Mark, John, and Piers enter the conference room.

Their expressions change when they see Ben standing beside the map.

Until now, they have guarded doors, escorted my family and followed the directions of the federal agents. They have remained alert without taking control.

That ends the moment Ben begins speaking.

He explains what happened at Ivy’s studio and Hazel’s apartment. He shows them the video of Simon destroying the music box, the missing winding key and the collision that freed Elliot.

None of the men interrupt.

They study the photographs.

The streets.

The buildings.

The times.

When Ben finishes, Scott points toward the image of the stolen delivery truck.

“Where did they find it?”

“Three blocks from the collision,” Marquez answers. “Abandoned in a parking garage.”

“Blood?”

“None.”

“Fingerprints?”

“Still being processed.”

Mark studies the truck’s route.

“They changed vehicles underground.”

“That’s the assumption,” Keating says.

“It’s more than an assumption,” Mark replies. “That garage has four exits. They chose it because the police couldn’t cover all of them quickly.”