Chapter 5 - The Secret in the Backpack
Back at the bank, the crime scene unit had arrived to secure the cash. Leo was clutching his small Spider-Man backpack, looking increasingly distressed as strangers handled his father's bag. Sarah had refused to leave his side, arguing with Miller that the boy needed a familiar face. Surprisingly, Miller had agreed. They were currently sitting in the breakroom, Leo happily munching on a donut Sarah had found for him. "Sarah?" Leo asked softly, his mouth full of powdered sugar. "Did I do something wrong? Why are they taking the money away?"
Sarah felt her heart break. She reached out and gently smoothed his curly hair. "No, sweetie. You did exactly what your dad asked. But there are some grown-up rules about money, and the police just need to make sure everything is safe." Leo looked unconvinced. He slowly unzipped his backpack and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. "Dad gave me this, too. He said if he didn't come back from playing hide and seek in three days, I had to give this to the bank lady." He handed the paper to Sarah.
Sarah unfolded it carefully. It wasn't a letter. It was a drawing. A child's drawing, but with precise, adult handwriting over it. It depicted a sailboat, a lighthouse, and a string of numbers: 41.2° N, 73.1° W - B.H. Key 402. Detective Miller, who had just walked in, snatched the paper from Sarah's hands, his eyes darting over the scribbles. "This isn't a drawing," Miller muttered, his cop instincts firing on all cylinders. "These are coordinates. And a location. B.H. Boathouse? Safe deposit key?" He looked at Leo. "Leo, does your dad have a boat?" Leo nodded. "Yeah! The 'Lady Sarah'. It's old and smells like fish." Miller's eyes widened. He looked at the teller. "Sarah... The bag was a decoy. The real evidence, whatever Penhaligon stole to prove his innocence, it's not in the duffel bag. It's hidden where these coordinates lead."
