Sophie stood completely still.

The needle slipped from her fingers and landed softly on the diner floor.

“What do you mean?” Leah asked.

Hammer didn’t answer immediately.

He carefully removed the leather vest and turned it inside out.

Beneath the unfinished patch was a thin plastic sleeve, sewn into the lining so tightly that nobody would have noticed it without the needle striking the hard edge.

Hammer pulled it free.

Inside was a small brass key and a folded piece of paper.

There was also a handwritten number.

Hammer stared at it for several seconds.

Then his face changed.

“I know this number.”

Leah’s expression drained of color.

Sophie looked between them.

“Mom?”

Leah stepped backward.

Hammer noticed.

“So you do know what it means.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do.”

Hammer unfolded the paper.

The handwriting belonged to Sophie’s father.

Only one sentence was written across it:

If anything happens to me, make sure Sophie finds the man behind this number.

Sophie swallowed.

“Who is it?”

Hammer folded the paper again.

“Someone your father trusted.”

Leah shook her head.

“No. We’re not doing this here.”

She reached for Sophie’s hand.

But Sophie didn’t move.

For the first time that evening, the little girl looked directly at her mother.

“Why were you going to leave?”

Leah’s eyes filled with tears.

“I wasn’t leaving you.”

“Then why did Hammer ask?”

Silence.

Hammer placed the key on the table.

“Sophie, your father gave me this vest six months ago.”

Leah stared at him.

“He knew something was wrong,” Hammer continued. “He asked me to keep it until I was certain you were safe.”

“Safe from what?” Sophie whispered.

Before Hammer could answer, his phone vibrated.

He looked at the screen.

One message.

THEY KNOW YOU FOUND THE PATCH.

Hammer immediately stood.

His six biker brothers rose with him.

The diner suddenly felt much smaller.

Leah grabbed Sophie’s shoulder.

“Who’s they?”

Hammer looked toward the front windows.

A dark sedan had stopped across the street.

Its engine remained running.

Then another vehicle pulled in behind it.

Hammer quietly picked up the brass key.

“Everyone stay inside.”

Sophie looked at the unfinished patch.

“Is my dad’s message the reason you’re helping me?”

Hammer looked down at her.

“No.”

“Then why?”

His expression softened.

“Because your father once did the same thing for me.”

He closed his fist around the key.

“And tonight, I’m going to finish what he started.”