Capital City – District 5, Rooftop Bar
Eric Lancaster was on his third glass of whiskey—and his fourth failed call.
The line went dead again.
"Fucking useless," he muttered, slamming his phone on the table.
Across from him, Vanessa Lancaster raised an eyebrow as she slipped into the seat, her heels clicking softly on the tiles.
"You're not still thinking about your father, are you?" she asked, crossing her legs. "The police are already involved. He'll turn up."
Eric didn't look at her. "No. That's not it."
A waiter arrived. Vanessa didn't glance up. "Dry red."
The waiter nodded and left.
"So?" she pressed.
"My PI," Eric said, jaw tight. "The guy I sent after Kael. He's not picking up."
Vanessa blinked once. "You hired a PI?"
Eric finally looked at her, his eyes bloodshot and restless. "Of course I did. You think I'd let that lowborn bastard disappear without a tail?"
