Ben looked toward the road.
“I didn’t want to believe it.”
His voice broke.
“But I have the records now.”
He leaned closer.
“Rachel, the deliveries aren’t the worst thing.”
I stopped breathing.
“They’ve been using people who can’t easily leave to keep the operation running.”
My thoughts flew to Caleb.
To Owen.
To the years they’d spent trapped under other names.
Ben continued.
“I know where some of them are being kept.”
He wiped his face.
“I’m going to try to get proof.”
Then he said something that made me cover my mouth.
“If anything happens to me, don’t let the boys believe I abandoned them.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks.
“I love you.”
A pause.
“All of you.”
Then Ben reached toward the camera.
The screen went black.
I sat motionless.
His voice seemed to remain in the room long after the recording ended.
***
Detective Ellis later showed me one more recovered file.
