PART 2 — The Children’s Plan

For almost three months, Mia and Ben had hidden one flash drive every Sunday.

One beneath my bush.

Another behind Mrs. Alvarez’s mailbox.

One inside the stone wall near Mr. Patel’s garage.

Others were scattered along the block.

The black trash bag was camouflage.

They picked up enough garbage to make their routine look normal, then secretly left evidence at houses they considered safe.

“Why twelve?” I asked Laura.

“Because Rick always finds things.”

Laura admitted she had helped create the first recording after the threat at the cabin.

But she never wanted the children involved.

Mia refused to stop.

“If he controls your phone and everything inside the house,” she had told Laura, “we need to put the truth somewhere he doesn’t know to look.”