Within minutes her breathing slowed into a deep, even rhythm, and Richard stayed on in the dark room, keeping watch over his daughter as night came down outside.

By nine the next morning, bright spring sunlight was spilling over the rolling hills west of Montgomery County.

The safe house was a plain white frame cottage at the end of a long gravel drive, hidden from the two-lane road by a dense row of loblolly pines.

In the kitchen, warm sunshine poured through the clean glass of the window over the sink.

Emily sat at a simple square pine table in the middle of the room, cradling a gray ceramic mug in both hands.