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Noah shrugged. “She’ll be pissed. By then, it won’t matter.”

Luke studied him for a long moment, then exhaled. “Fairchild won’t go down without a fight.”

Noah’s smile was ice-cold. “That’s fine.” He turned toward the hallway, his voice dropping. “I’m not looking for a clean fight.” He stood near the window, his arms crossed as he kept his voice low. “I need you to listen to me, Luke. We don’t have much time.”

Luke’s face remained unreadable, but his jaw ticked slightly. “Go on.”

Noah didn’t hesitate. “Fairchild’s going down at ten a.m. tomorrow. Federal warrants are in place. His security detail is getting hit first—then him. The second that happens, anyone with ties to him will be scrambling. Melanie included.”

Luke’s face darkened, but he nodded.

“You need to go in with her,” Noah continued, his voice sharp. “She has to believe you’re in this with her. Because when Alex gets her to start talking? She’s going to start grasping for lifelines, and she’ll reach for you.”

Luke exhaled, his hands on his hips. “And when she does?”

“You steer her straight into our hands,” Noah said coldly. “We need her alive, and we need her flipping on Fairchild before he realizes he’s already lost.”

Luke let out a short, humorless laugh. “Yeah, because that’s easy.”

Noah’s expression remained hard. “You signed up for this. You knew the risks.”

Luke gave him a long, measured look. “Yeah? What about your risks? You really think Ruth is gonna be okay with this when she finds out how deep you’re playing?”

Noah clenched his fists. “Ruth knows. She helped sort through Hilton’s records.”

“How is she doing?” Luke worried.

Noah swallowed hard. “Her vision hasn’t returned, and she’s really weak.”

Luke nodded. “I’m sorry.” He exhaled. “What about the guns?”

“That’s part of taking you in. Ethan Hayes’ people followed a shipment into town. They will take it down at the same time we take Fairchild. You’ll be in the clear.”

He inhaled. “All I can say is I hope you’re right.”

Noah ignored the comment. He had no time for doubts.

A door clicked open down the hall, and Alex’s voice carried toward them. “You ready to start talking, Mel? Or you want to wait till we slap cuffs on you and your boyfriend?”

Melanie’s voice was quieter, but there was a telltale tremor in it. “I—I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Noah and Luke exchanged a glance.

“She’s cracking,” Luke muttered.

Noah nodded. “Good.”

Melanie’s voice rose again, more desperate this time. “Fairchild won’t let me talk. You don’t understand—if I say the wrong thing, I’m dead.”

Alex chuckled, but he clearly wasn’t amused. “Sweetheart, you’re already dead to him. You’re just the last one to realize it.”

Noah turned back to Luke. “You need to get in there and play your part.”

Luke exhaled sharply, then straightened. “Fine.”

Noah stepped back, his voice dropping to a whisper. “We’ll be listening.”

Luke gave a tight nod and disappeared down the hall.