Page 199 of Hidden Tide

“Start identifying every property inside that section,” Ben says. “Owners, tenants, shell companies and recent purchases.”

Marquez assigns her technical team to begin the search.

I return my attention to the feed from Hazel’s apartment.

The steamer trunk remains beside her bed.

Simon failed to open it.

He lost Elliot.

He lost Peter.

He exposed the connection between Donald Cross, Kessler and Dad’s murder.

Ben was right.

Simon lost tonight.

Mom is still holding Hazel when an officer enters the bedroom carrying an evidence bag.

Inside it is the dolphin-shaped winding key.

“He dropped it beside the trunk,” the officer reports.

“He didn’t drop it,” Thomas says.

“What?” I ask.

“He left it.”

“Why would he do that?”

Thomas studies the key through the monitor.

“Because it isn’t Hazel’s.”

The officer turns the evidence bag.

A tiny letter is carved into the base of the dolphin’s tail.

The letter I.

“Ivy,” Thomas says.

Ivy moves toward the screen.

“My camera.”

Simon didn’t steal a key from Hazel’s music box.

He stole the key attached to Ivy’s real Leica.

“How did he get it?” Ivy asks.

“No,” Ben says through the radio. “The question is why he left it behind.”

I stare at the small metal dolphin.