“We have the evidence,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline pumping through my veins. “Everything she admitted to.”

“Excellent,” Vance said. “We’ll need that recording, and the drive. We have a transport waiting to take you both to a secure location.”

“What about our son?” I asked, my voice rising. “He is still in danger as long as the rest of the syndicate is active.”

“We are already moving on the syndicate’s local safe houses,” Vance said. “But we need to act quickly before the news of Dr. Brooks’s arrest gets back to their leadership in Chicago.”

He turned to his men. “Get her out of here,” he ordered, gesturing toward Elaine.

Two agents dragged Elaine to her feet.

She looked at me, her eyes filled with a cold, venomous hatred.

“You think this is over, Nora?” she spat, her voice raspy as they pulled her toward the door. “You have no idea how deep this goes. You’ll never be safe.”

“Take her,” Vance repeated, his face expressionless.

As they led her out, the room seemed to grow colder.