She buried her face in my neck, her small fingers gripping my sweater.

We followed Marco down the back hallway, away from the warm, brightly lit living room.

The air grew colder as we descended the stairs toward the basement garage.

The concrete walls echoed with the sound of our hurried footsteps.

Marco opened the door to the large, black SUV parked in the shadows.

“Get in the back,” Marco told Clara. “Keep the children on the floor until we clear the property line.”

Clara climbed in first, her knees knocking together.

I handed Lily in to her, then helped Owen up.

“Keep your heads down, okay?” I told them, trying to make it sound like a game.

Owen nodded, but his eyes were dark with a deep, adult understanding of the danger.

I climbed into the front passenger seat, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Ryker stood by the garage door, his hands in his pockets, watching us.

“Be careful, Evelyn,” he said through the open window.

“You too,” I said. “Don’t let them arrest you.”

“They won’t,” Ryker said, though we both knew he couldn’t guarantee that.