Finding Scott
Chapter 07 - Finding Scott
While Daniel pursued the investigation into Curtis Vale's decision, he'd also dispatched a private investigator to the address Patricia Nguyen had provided, understanding that Scott's location mattered considerably more urgently than uncovering the exact mechanics of what had happened to end his career.
The investigator, a careful, methodical woman named Wren Ostrander who had built her practice specifically around locating missing persons, called Daniel two days later with news.
"I found him," she said. "Working at a warehouse on the city's industrial edge, living in a shared rooming house nearby. I haven't approached him directly yet, per your instructions, but I've confirmed his identity."
Daniel felt a wave of relief so complete it nearly buckled his knees for the second time in a week.
"Is he alright," Daniel asked. "Physically, I mean."
"He looks tired," Wren said carefully. "Thinner than the photos his wife provided. I don't have concerns about immediate safety, but he's clearly been living considerably harder than he was accustomed to before all of this happened."
Daniel arranged to meet Renee and Eli that same evening, sharing the news carefully, watching Eli's face transform from cautious hope into something considerably closer to pure, disbelieving joy.
"You found him," Eli said, tears falling freely. "You actually found him."
"I did," Daniel confirmed. "I want to be careful about how we approach this, though. Your father's been through something very difficult, and I want to make sure we handle his return home with as much care as possible."
Renee, considerably more measured in her reaction, studied Daniel carefully. "Why are you doing all of this. You could have simply told us where he was and stepped back entirely."
Daniel considered the question honestly. "Because I think my own company played a role in what happened to him. I found the personnel file, Renee. The theft accusation that ended his career doesn't hold up under any serious scrutiny. I believe he was wrongly terminated, possibly deliberately set up by someone with his own reasons for wanting Scott gone."
Renee's composure cracked slightly at that, months of quiet, private belief in her husband's innocence finally, officially validated by someone with the resources to actually investigate it properly.
"Can you prove it," she asked.
"I'm working on it," Daniel said. "I want your husband home safely first. The rest of it, clearing his name properly, holding the right people accountable, that comes next, once we've handled the most urgent part of this."
Eli, listening to this exchange with the specific, focused attention children bring to conversations they understand matter enormously, reached for his mother's hand.
"Can we go see him," he asked. "Today. Right now."
May you like
Daniel looked at Wren, who nodded carefully. "I'd recommend a measured approach, but I don't see any reason it needs to wait longer than tomorrow morning, if you're all ready for it."
"We're ready," Eli said immediately, before either adult could respond. "We've been ready for eleven months."
