Chapter 6: Dawn of Realization
The morning sun filtered through the dusty lace curtains of the farmhouse, casting slanting golden bars across the wooden floor. Leo woke up slowly, rubbing his eyes and looking around with a momentary confusion before the events of the previous night rushed back into his memory. He sat up, staring down at the dried red stain on his white shirt, his small face tightening with anxiety.
Clara was already in the small kitchen, preparing scrambled eggs using a cast-iron skillet. Hearing the boy stir, she wiped her hands on a dish towel and hurried into the living room, kneeling beside the sofa with a warm, reassuring smile.
""Good morning, buddy,"" she said softly, brushing a stray lock of messy light brown hair from his forehead. ""How did you sleep?""
""My tummy feels funny,"" Leo whispered, his lower lip trembling slightly. ""Are the bad people going to find us here?""
""No one is going to find us,"" Clara promised, wrapping her arms around him and lifting him into a comforting embrace. ""Uncle Julian and I are here. You are completely safe now. And look—we have clean clothes for you. No more stained shirts.""
She produced a soft blue t-shirt and grey sweatpants that Julian had managed to grab from the luggage before they fled the reception. Leo changed quickly, seeming to take comfort in the simplicity of the garments. By the time he walked into the kitchen, the smell of butter and coffee filled the small room, grounding them in the mundane reality of survival.
Julian sat at the small wooden table, a prepaid burner phone pressed to his ear. His expression was intensely focused as he listened to the voice on the other end. Clara poured a cup of coffee and placed it beside his hand, her eyes questioning.
""I understand, counselor,"" Julian said into the phone, his voice steady. ""We have the physical ledgers from David’s office, but we need a court order to subpoena the primary Vance holdings. ... Yes, security is handled. We'll be in touch by end of day.""
He clicked the phone off and tossed it onto the table, rubbing the back of his neck with a groan of fatigue.
""Well?"" Clara asked, sitting opposite him while Leo happily dug into a plate of eggs.
""Sarah Miller—the Boston attorney—is willing to take the case,"" Julian reported, a cautious note of optimism in his voice. ""She said the paperwork David left behind before his death is enough to trigger a federal audit of Eleanor’s corporate accounts. But there's a catch.""
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""There's always a catch,"" Clara murmured.
""To execute the subpoena safely without Eleanor tipping off her political allies, we need to present the physical ledger in person at the federal courthouse in Portland. That means we have to leave the farmhouse within forty-eight hours.""
