Chapter 2 - The Tears In The Sunset
The golden hour light stretched long shadows across the crowded sidewalk of Downtown Chicago as traffic roared past the towering skyscrapers.
An American flag hung motionless from the stone facade of the nearby bank building, its red, white, and blue colors caught in the warm evening glow.
Victoria Vance stood frozen on the concrete, her brown designer tote bag slipping slightly from her shoulder as her eyes welled with unspilled tears.
Seven-year-old Leo stood in front of her, his oversized dark navy hoodie draped loosely over his frail frame while his worn sneakers gripped the pavement.
His big hazel eyes looked up into her shocked face with a heartbreaking combination of innocence, exhaustion, and absolute hope.
“Sophia Blake…” Victoria whispered again, her voice cracking as the name echoed through the noise of the bustling city street.
“She died seven years ago in a hospital fire in Boston, Leo. That’s what the police reports said. That’s what my family told me.”
Leo tilted his small head, his messy light brown hair catching the golden light as he looked down at the gold pin in his palm.
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“She didn’t die in a fire, ma’am,” Leo said softly, his voice trembling as he swallowed hard against the cold autumn air.
“She lived in a small farmhouse in Ohio until three months ago, when two men in dark suits came and took her away.”
