Page 137 of Scars of Fate

“We already knew that.”

“No.”

I enlarged the image.

“It means there’s a countdown.”

“To what?” Hawk asked.

“I don’t know.”

Lucas studied the screen.

“Could be the box.”

I shook my head.

“The bank doesn’t destroy unclaimed property.”

“What happens if someone attempts to force entry?”

“The private vault seals automatically.”

“For how long?”

“Seventy-two hours.”

Adam looked at the frozen image.

“Three days.”

“Maybe.”

“But Elise tapped three-two-one,” Boone said. “Not seventy-two.”

“It could mean the lockdown has already started.”

I looked at Lucas.

“If someone attempted access again, the vault would begin a seventy-two-hour security cycle.”

“And at the end?”

“Both account holders must appear in person.”

“What happens if they don’t?”

“The bank transfers the contents to a secure off-site repository.”

“Where?”

“No one outside the bank knows.”

Hawk nodded toward the phone.

“Meridian wants the file before it disappears.”

“That explains the urgency,” Adam said. “It doesn’t explain why they kidnapped Elise.”