With each passing day, Laura’s confidence grew. She maintained her routine, attended community events, and even participated in a local fundraiser, all the while keeping up the facade of a grieving widow.

She knew that if Daniel were to catch wind of her awareness, he might disappear for good.

Weeks stretched into a month. Sam’s updates were sporadic but promising.

They were tracing Daniel’s movements through several states, piecing together a pattern that suggested he was slowly making his way down the East Coast.

Then came the breakthrough. A report came in from a small town in Virginia—an ATM withdrawal followed by a motel check-in under a pseudonym that Sam had flagged from one of Daniel’s previous aliases. The timing and location matched perfectly with their leads.