Chapter 1 — “I Know Exactly Who Your Family Is”
Young tennis player Ryan walked into Hawthorne Tennis Club expecting a completely normal afternoon.
He carried two rackets over one shoulder.
His school coach had arranged for him to practice on one of Hawthorne’s indoor courts before the regional tournament.
Ryan had been there twice before.
Nothing had ever gone wrong.
Until today.
The employee behind the front desk scanned Ryan’s temporary club card.
A red message appeared on the computer.
The employee frowned.
“Hold on.”
Ryan stopped.
“Problem?”
The employee, Derek Collins, typed Ryan’s name again.
Then checked his date of birth.
His expression became more serious.
“Your record doesn’t match.”
Ryan laughed nervously.
“I practiced here last week.”
“I can see that.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
Derek turned the monitor slightly.
Ryan leaned closer.
Beside his guest account was a strange note:
FAMILY AFFILIATION FLAG — BENNETT — ACCESS RESTRICTION.
Ryan frowned.
“Bennett?”
That was his mother’s maiden name.
“Why is my mom’s family on my tennis account?”
Derek clicked another screen.
“Looks like the restriction was carried forward from an older club record.”
“How old?”
“1998.”
Ryan stared at him.
“I wasn’t even born.”
Derek shrugged.
“I don’t make the records.”
“So what does this mean?”
Derek looked toward the entrance.
“It means I can’t let you onto the courts until management clears it.”
Ryan’s face tightened.
“My coach booked the court.”
“And I’m telling you there’s a restriction.”
Ryan was about to argue when an elderly man entering the lobby suddenly stopped.
“What name did you say?”
Ryan turned.
The man was tall despite his age.
Silver hair.
Dark green club jacket.
Walking cane in one hand.
Ryan answered:
“Ryan Cole.”
The elderly man looked toward the computer.
“And the family name?”
Derek replied:
“Bennett.”
The man stared at Ryan.
Then slowly reached into the inside pocket of his jacket.
He removed an old photograph.
“What’s your mother’s first name?”
“Rachel.”
The elderly man’s expression changed completely.
He held out the photograph.
Ryan looked at it.
The picture was faded.
Three people stood beside one of Hawthorne’s outdoor tennis courts.
The elderly man was there, decades younger.
Beside him stood a young man wearing maintenance clothes.
And in front of them…
a little girl with curly brown hair.
The elderly man was holding one of Hawthorne’s gold championship medals.
Ryan stared at the child.
He recognized her immediately.
“That’s my mom.”
Derek looked up sharply.
The old man nodded.
“Rachel Bennett.”
Then he pointed toward the young man beside her.
“And that’s your grandfather, Thomas.”
Ryan looked at him.
“Who are you?”
The man smiled faintly.
“Arthur Hale.”
Derek’s expression changed.
Ryan knew that name.
Arthur Hale had won Hawthorne’s club championship six times.
His photograph still hung in the trophy corridor.
Arthur looked directly at Ryan.
“I know exactly who your family is.”
Then he looked toward the computer.
His smile disappeared.
“And if Thomas Bennett’s name is still marked with a restriction…”
Arthur’s voice hardened.
“Then somebody never corrected a very serious mistake.”