“I moved up the operation,” he replied. “Because I activated an emergency alert.”
I slumped back against the seat.
—You saved us.
“No,” he said softly. “I put you in danger by not telling you the truth sooner.”
That night, Mariana called me crying. Marco had been arrested in front of everyone. They found weapons hidden in the basement. Money concealed within the walls. Fake IDs.
Mariana knew nothing.
Neither did Lucía.
For weeks, Emma had nightmares. So did I. Daniel took a leave of absence from work. Federal agents interviewed us again and again. Our lives were reviewed, dissected, and documented.
But little by little, everything calmed down.
Mariana filed for divorce.
Marco accepted a plea deal with the prosecution.
And I learned something terrifying:
The people closest to you can lead double lives… and you don’t realize it until it’s almost too late.
WHEN THE SIRENS GO OFF
Life was never the same again.
Not entirely.
She became quieter.
More careful.
Mariana moved into a small apartment with Lucía. She stopped trusting people easily. So did I. Loud noises made us jump. Sirens made my heart race.