ports car faded into t

ling windows. She yanked the heavy blackout c

her handbag and pulled out a thick, un

a dynamic, rotating passcode. She dialed he

ing against the Long Island shore filled her ear,

am

five-year-old

isa had built around her heart cracked. A sharp ache

ered, forcing her voice to stay

ingly perceptive. "You sound sad, Mama." A loud ki

oo, baby," El

ayden, go look at Jupiter through th

tantly. "What happen

had seen at the hospital that day an

el hissed. "Thank god we hid Kayden

," Elisa said. "Is t

," Jewe

e wiped the moist

hed open the doors to the two-hu

chandelier illuminated rows of haute c

d silk gown-August's favorite

ses, skirts, and blouses off their velvet hange

nst the hardwood. The closet looke

k corner. She pulled out a s

s of faded sweatpants, a few plain cott

a military-grade encrypted solid-state module. She carefully slid the biometric-locked hardware into the hidden, padded lining o

ull. Seven years of marriage, and

er reflection. Her long, perfectly styled hair hung do

and pulled out a pair

a fistful of hair at the nape of he

r fell onto the pristin

new, jagged bob.

agement ring off her finger. She t

oor with a sharp clink a

her suitcase and walked