I replayed that message during the drive, letting it calm me. Marcus had always been calm, careful, practical. He handled things. I trusted that. I trusted him.
The drive felt longer than it should have. I checked the rearview mirror every few seconds, making sure Eliza was still there, still breathing, still real. The streets blurred together as my mind drifted between exhaustion and fragile happiness.
Then I turned onto our street.
I slowed instinctively, my stomach tightening before I fully understood why. Too many cars. Too many people standing outside. No kids playing. No normal afternoon sounds.
Then I saw the flashing lights.
Red and blue bounced off familiar houses. A police cruiser blocked the road completely. Yellow tape stretched across lawns like a line drawn through my life.
