Page 125 of Inside the Sun

"I’ve got some news," Veyron says. "And some of it’s pretty damn shocking."

My body tenses instantly, and I sit up so fast the water nearly splashes my phone.

"What?!"

"My father’s the Deputy County Clerk, and I figured I could use that to look into sealed divorce records. He managed to confirm that a divorce between Moon Larsen and Anzo Ferro was finalized seven months ago. One day later… Anzo married Summer Larsen."

My jaw drops. I don’t even know how to process that. I mean, I knew Moon was alive, I could feel it, but knowing he actuallyfiledfor divorce like it was a regular thing?

"But that’s not all," Veyron adds, sounding genuinely fired up. "I tracked down the law firm that handled the whole thing. I talked to a legal assistant there, and get this, he was surprisingly open about what happened. Totally outraged, too. Anzo Ferro showed up in person andthreatenedthem, demanding they give him Moon’s new home address. But guess what? Moon had used a registered agent as a legal intermediary, and the address wasprotected under the Address Confidentiality Program. Even with all his rage and threats, Anzo couldn’t get past it."

"Holy shit," I mutter. "Sounds like Moon really thought this through. He covered his tracks pretty well, if Anzo couldn't dig him out with all his resources."

"Exactly. And here’s the kicker, Moon didn’t even logged into his own bank account to pay the registered agent fees. The payment was made over the phone through his bank, no card, no online transfer. Nothing traceable."

"Moon clearly knew what he was doing." I pause for a second, overwhelmed. "That actually… gives me hope. Maybe he reallyissafe!"

Veyron chuckles softly. "Yeah, I’d say so. Honestly, it looks like he planned it well. And Anzo storming into a law office, threatening the staff? That tells me he’s not behind Moon’s disappearance. He’s desperate to find him. If he couldn’t do it, I doubt we’ll have better luck."

"True. But still, this is something. It’s actually great news. Thanks! I need to tell my parents. And of course, we’ll settle up like we agreed."

Veyron sounds pretty damn pleased with himself, and frankly, he should be. For a young guy who’s not even in that line of work anymore, he did really well. From what I know, he’s actually an electronics guy by trade. He runs his own business now renting out digital signs and billboards around the city. He really went out of his way to help, tapping into personal contacts. I owe him.

After we hang up, I’m left sitting in cooling bathwater, thoughts racing.

Is this it? A concussion to the ‘Moon stage’ of my mission?

Is my next step just rescuing Summer from the fortress?

Or is there still a chance Moon was taken, or helped to escape, and someone in the fortress knows something, but is hiding, too scared to speak up?

Given what I already know about the fortress security situation, it’s hard to imagine Moon would pull it off on his own, so there’s still a chance to find some clues.

What should I do?

One thing is for sure. I can’t sit still any longer.

I decide to stop by Hunter’s place.

I’ve been trying to reach him for days, but he hasn’t answered. No replies to my texts either. I wonder if he’s made any progress on the witness protection front. It might be even more necessary now than before.

After Olaf died, Hunter sold their downtown apartment and bought a house in the suburbs. I’ve never visited him here, didn’t want to force it. I’ve tried a few times before, but he always declined. Said he wasn’t ready to see people. Social interactions were too much.

But now I’m starting to get worried.

***

One hour later, I show up unannounced. I park the car in the driveway.

Hunter’s property is surrounded by a tall wall, thick with arborvitae that completely block the view. A perfect place to isolate yourself.

The gate is closed, and I don’t want to use the intercom.

So I climb the wall and land on the lawn.

Wow. The house is sleek and modern, big glass panes and a geometric structure like a series of cubes stacked together. There’s a pool and patio on the side. It’s a pretty luxurious setup, but that’s not surprising. Hunter and Nathaniel’s parentswere loaded, and after they died, the brothers inherited a sizable fortune.

Staying alert, I head for the front door and knock—loudly!

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