When he answered, his voice carried the steady calm I needed.

“Gideon, I need you to look into Maren Caldwell,” I said, forcing my tone to remain even despite the storm inside me. “Where she’s been since the divorce, how she’s been supporting herself, and especially the two children she’s with.”

There was a brief pause before he responded.

“You think they’re yours.”

It was not a question.

“I need to know the truth,” I replied. “And reopen everything from the divorce. The transfers, the photos, the pendant. Every detail. I want to understand exactly how that evidence appeared.”

He did not hesitate.

“I’ll start today.”

Three Days of Waiting