“You always said you worked in IT.”
“I do,” he replied softly. “I just never told you the full story.”
My throat tightened.
“Then why were police at my sister’s house?”
He hesitated before answering.
“Three weeks ago we traced a massive illegal transaction,” he said. “Millions moving through fake charities. Every trail led to one address.”
My heart pounded.
“Whose address?”
Another long pause.
“Your sister’s.”
I felt the air leave my lungs.
“That’s impossible. Laura is a nurse.”
“That’s exactly why the scheme worked,” he explained. “Someone used her name and address without her knowing.”
My mind began connecting pieces.
“My brother-in-law…?”
“Yes,” Ethan said quietly. “Mark.”
I suddenly remembered his expensive watches… the mysterious “consulting work” he never explained.
“I discovered it last night,” Ethan continued. “And he’s tied to a criminal network under federal investigation. Weapons trafficking. The money laundering was only part of it.”
My stomach churned.
“Then why today?”
“That’s when I panicked,” he said. “Mark didn’t know the raid was happening today. But when you told me you were there with Emma… I realized you could end up caught in the middle.”
“So the police—?”