“Keep driving,” he said. “Find somewhere safe to stop, and lock the doors. I will explain everything, but you must listen carefully.”
Abigail drove until the sirens faded behind her and the streets grew quiet. She stopped in the empty parking lot of a closed grocery store, parked under a flickering light, and locked all the doors before turning around to check on Sophie. Her daughter sat silently, hugging her backpack to her chest.
“Are we in trouble,” Sophie asked softly.
“No, sweetheart,” Abigail replied, reaching back to squeeze her hand. “We are safe. I promise.”
Then she focused on the call.
“Tell me the truth,” she said. “No more half answers.”
Evan exhaled slowly, as if releasing a weight he had carried for years.
“I work for a federal cyber investigation unit,” he said. “My team tracks financial crimes, illegal transfers, and encrypted communication networks. I never told you because I wanted to protect you from it.”
Abigail leaned her head against the steering wheel.
“You always said you worked in software development,” she murmured.
“That was not a lie,” he said. “It was only incomplete.”
She let out a breath she did not realize she was holding.