“What does he see?”
Claire watched Atlas.
His ears were forward.
His body had gone still.
Then she understood.
“Stop the vehicle.”
The driver looked at Robert.
Robert turned.
“Why?”
Claire pointed.
“Atlas recognizes someone.”
The convoy slowed.
The black SUV behind them maintained distance.
Atlas stared directly at it.
Robert's expression changed.
“That's one of the vehicles.”
The driver accelerated.
The SUV accelerated too.
Robert reached for his radio.
“All units, we're moving.”
The chase began.
Claire pulled Emma closer.
Daniel braced himself.
Atlas remained standing.
Not barking.
Not panicking.
Watching.
The SUV moved through traffic.
Two federal vehicles cut in behind it.
Another came from the opposite direction.
The driver of the suspicious SUV tried to turn.
Blocked.
He reversed.
Blocked again.
Finally, he stopped.
Agents surrounded the vehicle.
The driver raised his hands.
The passenger did the same.
Robert approached.
“Out.”
The doors opened.
Two men stepped onto the pavement.
One was Gregory Pierce.
The other was Victor Hale.
Claire saw them from inside the secure vehicle.
She stared.
Gregory looked toward Atlas.
For the first time, his confident expression disappeared.
Atlas stared back.
Claire whispered:
“He knows them.”
Robert nodded.
“We know.”
Victor Hale looked at Claire.
Then at Atlas.
He smiled.
“You have no idea what that dog remembers.”
Claire didn't answer.
Robert stepped between them.
“Get on the ground.”
Victor raised his hands.
“You think arresting me changes anything?”
Robert's voice was cold.
“No.”
He looked toward Atlas.
“It changes everything.”
The agents moved forward.
Gregory was handcuffed first.
Victor followed.
As he was escorted away, he looked back at Claire.
“You should ask your husband what happened in Baltimore.”
Daniel froze.
Claire turned toward him.
“What does he mean?”
Daniel's face had gone pale.
Victor smiled.
Then he was pushed into the vehicle.
Claire stared at Daniel.
“What happened in Baltimore?”
Daniel looked away.
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
Claire's expression hardened.
“Daniel.”
He closed his eyes.
“I worked with Victor.”
The world seemed to become silent.
Claire stared at her husband.
Atlas sat between them.
And suddenly, the entire mystery had changed.
Because the question was no longer why someone wanted Atlas.
The question was what Daniel had been hiding.
And why the man who had just been arrested believed Claire had never been told the truth.