He passes over a police report, the words "missing person" and "person of interest" highlighted in yellow. I scan it quickly, everything in me going cold at the detective's notes about a "controlling husband" and "suspicious financial activity" before the disappearance.
"Lisa had a two-year-old daughter," Reeves says, his voice dropping even lower. "Child's missing too."
Sadie makes a small, wounded sound. Her hand finds mine, gripping with desperate strength.
"There's more." Reeves pulls out a small digital recorder. "I managed to place some surveillance equipment in Elliot's hotel room yesterday. This was recorded last night."
He presses play, and Elliot's voice fills the car, clear and chilling.
"Everything's arranged. Once the custody hearing's done, we take the kid and disappear. New identities are ready. Brazil first, then we'll see."
A second male voice responds, unfamiliar to me. "What about the mother?"
A pause, then Elliot's cold laugh. "She won't be a problem anymore."
Reeves stops the recording. The silence in the car is absolute except for Poppy's soft breathing.
"He's planning to kill me," Sadie says flatly, her face drained of color.
"And take Poppy out of the country," I add, fury building until I can barely breathe. "With fake documents."
Reeves nods grimly. "There's a second man involved. I'm still working on identifying him. But they're moving fast. The plan is clearly already in motion."
"The hearing is a trap," Sadie whispers.
"Yes." Reeves pulls out one final document, a court order I don't immediately recognize.
"He's already filed for emergency custody, claiming you're mentally unstable and a flight risk. He's got a corrupt judge in his pocket. The moment you show up for that hearing tomorrow, you'll be detained while he walks out with Poppy."
I stare at the court order, dated yesterday, my mind racing. The legal system, the very thing I was counting on to protect them, has already been compromised.
"We need to go to the FBI," Sadie says, her voice surprisingly steady. "With the recording, the evidence of fraud."
"That takes time," Reeves interrupts. "Time you don't have. The hearing is scheduled for nine a.m. tomorrow—but based on what I've found, Elliot's planning to make a move before then."
Something clicks into place, a cold, clarifying anger replacing the hot fury of moments before. My mind clicks through options with mechanical precision, discarding each legal avenue as too slow, too uncertain.
"We'll handle it from here," I tell Reeves, my voice sounding distant even to my own ears. "Send everything to my secure email. And keep tracking Elliot's movements."
Reeves gives me a long, assessing look. "Be careful. This guy's dangerous."
"So am I," I reply, and I mean it in a way I never have before.
After Reeves leaves, the SUV remains parked, rain pattering against the roof. Sadie sits motionless beside me, her face unreadable as she stares at the evidence spread across her lap.
"We're not going to the hotel," I say finally, my decision crystallizing. "And we're not going to court."
She looks up, eyes sharp despite her fear. "What are we doing?"
I take a deep breath, organizing my thoughts.
"The legal system is compromised. Elliot's already bought off a judge. Even with all this evidence, we could lose Poppy while the wheels of justice grind slowly forward."
"I know," she whispers.
"So we change the game." I turn to face her fully. "We go to Elliot directly. Tonight. With everything we have."
Her eyes widen. "What do you mean?"
