Then they heard engines.

More vehicles.

Derek looked toward the highway.

“They brought backup.”

Evelyn breathed heavily.

“My truck.”

Ryan looked at her.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Ma’am, absolutely not.”

“My truck.”

“You're not driving us anywhere.”

Evelyn stared at him.

“You want to argue?”

“No.”

“Good.”

They ran.

The old pickup started on the second attempt.

Evelyn drove.

Ryan sat beside her.

The others crowded into the back.

The truck bounced along the dirt road.

Behind them, headlights appeared.

Evelyn stepped on the accelerator.

The old engine roared.

Ryan stared at her.

“You said you were seventy-four.”

“I am.”

“You drive like you're seventeen.”

“Earl taught me.”

“I'm beginning to understand Earl.”

They reached the highway.

Evelyn turned north.

The pursuing vehicles followed.

Nathan looked through the rear window.

“Two.”

Derek said, “Three.”

Evelyn smiled.

“Good.”

Ryan stared at her.

“What?”

“I know a road.”

She turned sharply.

The truck entered a narrow service road.

Trees closed around them.

The pursuing vehicles slowed.

Then disappeared.

After ten minutes, Evelyn stopped.

Everyone breathed.

Derek looked at her.

“You just outran three trucks.”

Evelyn shrugged.

“They were driving badly.”

Ryan laughed.

Nobody had expected to laugh.

But they did.

For several minutes, the truck was filled with exhausted laughter.

Then Evelyn became serious.

“They know about the evidence.”

Derek nodded.

“We need to get it out.”

Ryan held up the memory card.

“Agent Carter.”

“We need to meet her somewhere public.”

Evelyn thought.

“Billings.”

“Too far.”

“Then the diner at Junction 12.”

Nathan shook his head.

“Too exposed.”

Evelyn looked at them.

“My granddaughter works there.”

Derek frowned.

“You have a granddaughter?”

“Three.”

“And they all know about this?”

“No.”

“Good.”

Evelyn smiled.

“That's why we go there.”

The Truth Comes to Light

They reached the diner before midnight.

It was almost empty.

One waitress.

Two truck drivers.

A cook in the back.

Evelyn walked in first.

Her knees hurt.

Her hands trembled.

But she kept walking.

The waitress recognized her.

“Mrs. Harper?”

“Yes.”

“Where have you been?”

“Busy.”

The waitress looked behind her.

Four enormous men entered.

She stared.

Evelyn smiled.

“Friends.”

The waitress looked uncertain.

“Sure.”

They sat in the back.

Twenty minutes later, an unmarked sedan pulled into the parking lot.

A woman entered.

Forty-something.

Brown hair.

Plain clothes.

She scanned the room.

Ryan stood.

“Agent Carter?”

She nodded.

“Ryan Whitman?”

“Yes.”

She looked at the four men.

Then at Evelyn.

“You must be Mrs. Harper.”

Evelyn nodded.

“You found them?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

Evelyn thought.

“Because they needed somebody.”

Agent Carter looked at the four bikers.

Then back at Evelyn.

“I've heard that answer before.”

“From whom?”

“My grandmother.”

Evelyn smiled.

“Smart woman.”

Agent Carter sat.

Ryan handed her the memory card.

She examined it.

“Where did you get this?”

“From the truck.”

She looked at Derek.

“Is it authentic?”

“Yes.”

“We believe it contains evidence related to Tommy Briggs.”

Agent Carter inserted the card into a secure device.

The files appeared.

She read.

Her expression changed.

She opened the photographs.

Then the maintenance records.

Then the invoices.

Finally, she looked up.

“This is serious.”

Derek nodded.

“We know.”

“This could implicate several people.”

“That's why they tried to kill us.”

Agent Carter looked at Evelyn.

“They came after you too?”

“Yes.”

“You were followed?”

“Yes.”

“Are you frightened?”

Evelyn thought about it.

“Yes.”

The bikers looked at her.

She continued.

“But fear isn't the same as surrender.”

Agent Carter smiled.

“Your husband taught you that?”

“No.”

Evelyn looked at the toolbox sitting beside her.

“Life did.”

The investigation moved quickly.

The evidence was duplicated.

Sent to federal investigators.

The original memory card was sealed.

Search warrants were issued.

Vehicles were located.

The men who attacked the bikers were arrested.

Calvin Rusk was taken into custody two weeks later.

Investigators discovered years of falsified safety inspections.

Payments to contractors.

Bribery.

Destroyed records.

The construction accident had indeed been caused by neglected safety equipment.