I WATCHED THE BRAKE LIGHTS FLARE RED IN THE STORM JUST BEFORE THE DRIVER THREW A HEAVY BURLAP SACK INTO THE FLOODING DITCH LIKE IT WAS GARBAGE. WHEN I WADED INTO THE FREEZING MUD AND RIPPED THE KNOT OPEN, FOUR TINY FACES GASPED FOR AIR, AND I REALIZED THIS WASN'T JUST ABANDONMENT—IT WAS A CALCULATED EXECUTION. I WASN'T JUST A WITNESS ANYMORE; I WAS THE ONLY THING STANDING BETWEEN THEM AND THE WATER RISING AROUND OUR ANKLES. The rain was coming down so hard that the windshield wipers were losing