“He already is.”
“No.”
“Hammer.”
“I mean emotionally.”
The biker looked toward the boy.
“His father built the clue around something he remembered.”
“That doesn't mean Mateo needs details.”
Rachel nodded.
“Good.”
She gathered the documents.
Then heard tires outside.
Hammer’s body changed immediately.
He moved toward the storage entrance.
Dean stood near the truck.
A gray SUV entered the lane.
Rachel’s stomach dropped.
Craig Danner stepped out.
He wore khakis and a dark polo.
No warehouse jacket.
Older.
Ordinary.
That frightened Rachel more.
He lifted both hands.
“Rachel.”
Hammer stepped between them.
Danner sighed.
“Ray.”
“Leave.”
“I just want to talk.”
Hammer laughed without humor.
“You had three years.”
Danner looked toward Rachel.
“Luis was confused.”
Rachel said nothing.
“He got obsessed.”
“Thought every accounting mismatch was conspiracy.”
Hammer moved one step forward.
Danner stopped.
Rachel walked beside Hammer.
“Were you at the crash?”
Danner’s eyes flickered.
“No.”
Hammer spoke.
“I saw you.”
“You saw a vehicle.”
“I saw your face.”
Danner looked toward him.
“Three years changes memory.”
Rachel held up the photograph.
“This?”
Danner froze.
Only briefly.
Enough.
“That was taken days earlier.”
“Why did Luis photograph you?”
“He didn't.”
“Someone else did.”
Rachel stared.
“How do you know?”
Danner stopped.
Mistake.
Hammer smiled slightly.
Danner’s face hardened.
“You don't understand what Luis was involved in.”
“Then explain.”
“He was stealing company records.”
“Because company trucks were unsafe.”
“That’s his interpretation.”
“A driver died.”
“Drivers die.”
The sentence hung in the heat.
Rachel’s voice became quiet.
“My husband died.”
Danner looked at her.
“Yes.”
“And that was tragic.”
“What happened?”
“He lost control.”
“Were you there?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know?”
Danner’s jaw tightened.
Hammer almost smiled again.
Rachel realized Luis had been right.
Pressure made people careless.
Danner stepped backward.
“I came here because stirring this up will hurt you.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No.”
“A warning.”
Hammer said:
“Same word cowards use.”
Danner looked toward Mateo.
The boy stood inside the unit.
Rachel instantly moved.
“Do not look at my son.”
Danner raised his hands.
“I would never hurt a child.”
Hammer’s voice became flat.
“Leave.”
Danner looked at Rachel one last time.
“Luis made mistakes.”
She answered:
“So did you.”
He returned to the SUV.
Drove away.
Dean had filmed everything.