The boys remained on the sofa, Lucas resting his head on Noah’s shoulder.

They looked so small in the cavernous room.

I kept looking back at them, then at the window.

The rain was still pouring, washing down the glass in thick sheets.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light cut through the darkness outside.

It wasn’t lightning.

It was the sweep of car headlights coming up the driveway.

“Alexander,” I said, my heart dropping. “They’re here.”

The scanner was only halfway through the first stack of documents.

“Keep scanning,” Alexander said, not looking up. “Don’t stop.”

The headlights grew brighter, reflecting off the library ceiling.

I heard the sound of tires crunching on the wet gravel outside.

Then, the low, heavy hum of an engine idling.

My phone buzzed again in my hand.

I looked down at the screen.

It was another text from the unknown number.

*I gave you five minutes, Emma. The gates were unlocked anyway.*

“She’s in,” I whispered, the cold fear returning to my chest. “Alexander, she’s in the driveway.”

He grabbed the remaining physical papers from the scanner and shoved them into his leather briefcase.