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“South. Maybe close to Miles’s hometown.” A sad smile crosses her face at the mention of her late husband. “Somewhere quieter. Where Skylar can have a normal childhood, you know?”

The thought of losing my partner sends a fresh wave of panic through me. “Rissa.”

“Hey.” She squeezes my hand again. “I’m not going anywhere until we find Leo. And even then, well, let’s just say I’ve got some vacation time saved up. Enough to help figure this mess out.”

Relief floods through me. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” Her expression grows serious. “We need a plan. A real one. Not just Zeke’s men running around playing vigilante.”

I nod, sitting up straighter. This is familiar territory. “Alessandro’s men are watching the house. Zeke’s got people tracking their movements. They keep switching cars, changing routes.”

“Start with the woman who picked up Leo.” Rissa pulls out her notebook, all business now. “Someone who could pass for you that convincingly? That takes serious preparation. Surveillance, study, probably weeks of observation.”

“They knew my routine. They knew exactly when I usually pick him up, what I wear, even what snacks I pack for him.”

“Which means they’ve been watching you for a while.” Rissa’s pen scratches across the paper. “Before Gio’s death, even. They’re probably watching me too.” Her expression turns dark as she processes what that could mean for her and her daughter. She shakes it off—ever the professional—and continues. “This wasn’t just about revenge—it was planned.”

“But why?” I shake my head, frustration building. “Why go through all that trouble? Why not just—” I can’t finish the sentence, can’t voice the horrible possibilities.

“Because this isn’t just about you.” Rissa looks up from her notes. “It’s about Zeke. They’re using Leo to draw him out, to force his hand.”

The pieces start falling into place. “Alessandro’s working with someone. Someone who wants Zeke back in the game and under their control.”

“Nicolo,” we say in unison.

“It makes sense.” Rissa taps her pen against the notebook. “The level of resources needed for this kind of operation? The professional surveillance, the perfect impostor? That’s not local mafia work. These guys around here are amateurs. That’s big league.”

“Fuck.” I drop my head into my hands. “What am I going to do?”

“We.” Rissa corrects, reaching for my hand. “What arewegoing to do? And the answer is—whatever it takes to get Leo back.”

I look up at her, determination in her eyes.

“Even if it means working outside the law?”

“Even then.” She reaches across the table, gripping my shoulder. “You’re my friend first, Eve. That means a hell of a lot more than just a partner. And Leo’s family too.”

Tears prick at my eyes again, but for a different reason this time. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Probably not,” she agrees with a slight smile. “But you’ve got me anyway. Now, let’s figure out how to bring Leo home.”

We spend the next hour going over everything we know, building a timeline, identifying patterns. Rissa’s analytical mind helps me see connections I’d missed, possibilities we hadn’t considered.

“We need to coordinate with Zeke’s people,” she says finally. “Pool our resources, share intelligence. We can’t afford to work against each other on this.”

“He won’t like it,” I admit. “He reluctantly agreed to me talking to you.”

“Tough shit.” Rissa’s voice is steel. “His way isn’t working. We need to try something different.”

I nod slowly, knowing she’s right. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Today,” she insists. “We don’t have time to waste on pride or territorialism. Leo needs all of us working together.”

“Okay.” I stand up, my legs stiff from sitting so long. “I should get back before Eli gets antsy.”

Rissa glances out the window at my watchdog. “He’s already antsy. Been checking his phone every two minutes.”

As if on cue, my own phone buzzes. A text from Zeke.