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Alex glanced around her as she continued to wend her way through the trees next to the path, knowing there was CCTV in the area. She wanted to avoid those at all costs. No point in showing up on anyone’s video feed. “Somebody got to it before me. Maybe it was the guy I ran into.”

“Really?” Dani asked incredulously. “I mean, this thing is butt ugly. Who’d want it?”

“I don’t know. But somebody did. Because they got there before me.”

“Okay, well—we’re parked off the park on 78th. Gage and Mitch are on their way back to the van. Come down and we’ll take you back to Callahan Security.”

Alex paused. “You know what? I’m gonna run back on my own. I’ll meet you back there later.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Dani sighed. “All right. Just be careful. Central Park at night is not the safest place.”

“I will. See you in a bit.”

Alex took out the earbud. About twenty yards back from the intersection of the main path, she stepped out onto the sidewalk and picked up her pace to a light jog.

Central Park wasn’t the safest place to be at night—but she wasn’t worried.

What she was worried about was how sure she was that the guy she’d run into had been Gage.

Why did she think it was him? It was dark in there, she reminded herself.

Maybe he just looked like Gage. Regardless of who he was, why would he want the statue?

Dani was right. It was ugly as sin. It didn’t make any sense. None of this made sense.

She grimaced as another thought hit her.

Leo. She was going to have to tell him she failed.

This was the first time she’d failed. Well…

since that thing in Sweden. The cops there were still looking for her.

She didn’t even want to think about that.

But yeah. She failed. Not because she didn’t get in—but because it was already gone. Somebody had taken it.

She had a sense that Leo hadn’t been telling her the whole story. Or maybe he didn’t know. But something in her gut told her there was more to this whole thing. It was time to talk to him. She’d do it as soon as she got back. Until then, she was just going to take a nice, easy jog.

She’d been feeling cooped up lately… ansty. All the wedding talk was stressing her out. Not because she was stressed about the wedding. She knew that whatever Logan and Lacy did would be gorgeous. Those two were fantastic at planning events. She was so happy they were getting married.

But if she was honest…She wanted to get married.

Desperately. She wanted to marry Mitch. She even wanted to have kids—although she hadn’t mentioned that to Mitch.

As a matter of fact, she’d never even thought that was something she wanted.

Until she saw Dani pregnant. And it just kicked something off.

Her biological clock, she guessed. But yeah.

She wanted to be married. She wanted to have kids.

And there was no way she could do that. Because the moment she applied for a wedding license in her real name—Alexandra Buchanan instead of Alex Morgan, it’d be over.

The press would swoop in like vultures. Her mother’s suicide and her family’s extreme wealth would fill the gossip sites online and on TV.

Her face would be splattered everywhere, and there would be no peace.

Ever. She was still amazed that she’d gotten away with hiding in plain sight for this long.

It helped that the world thought she was in an ashram in India, finding herself. Planting that story had been fun.

She blew out a sigh. Her life had always been crazy in the worst sense of the word.

There was no way she was bringing kids into that world.

They’d be followed wherever they went. No.

She had to be satisfied with what she had.

And what she had was good. She loved Mitch.

But suddenly, the white picket fantasy seemed like the ideal.

Maybe someday, she thought, as she headed out of the park.

Alex arrived back at Callahan Security and went straight up to the showers. Twenty minutes later, she was sitting on the couch in the room on the top floor of the building, along with Dani, Gage, Logan, Lacy, and Mitch. Leo was on a video call on the laptop propped up on the table in front of them.

"Did you get it, lass?" Leo asked.

"No."

"What? What happened?" Leo looked shocked. That was fair—she felt shocked. She understood the look on his face. She had never failed before.

She bit back a sigh. She hated disappointing him. "It was gone, Leo. When I got there, it was gone."

"Gone? Someone else stole it?" Leo’s voice rose. "Who else would want to steal this ugly thing?" he demanded.

"I have no idea. But I know what I saw. I came face to face with a man who was in the right row, and he left with a backpack."

Leo blinked. "Ye came face to face with him? Lass, that was so dangerous. I…I’m so sorry. I didnae know this would be dangerous or I’d never have asked ye to do it.”

“Don’t worry about it. How could we have known someone else would want that thing? Unless you know something we don’t?” she asked and bit her lip.

Leo shook his head. “I’ve got no idea. Did ye recognize the thief? There aren’t many that would even attempt to break into the Met."

"That's the thing." She glanced up at Gage. "I thought it was you."

"Me?" Gage said. "Why would I steal some ugly statue? God, why would I steal anything? I’d just ask you to do it. I would never do it on my own—I don’t have your skill. And I sure as hell wouldn’t do it at the same time you were in there.

It would only increase the chances of both of us getting caught. ”

Alex nodded slowly. "But it was weird. He just looked like you. And granted, I only saw a flash of him, not his full face. He was dressed in black, had a black ball cap pulled down low, and it was dark in there. But my first instinct? It was you.”

She cocked her head, doubting what her own eyes had told her just an hour ago. "Now that I think about it, though… he looked different. Like you but not like you. I think his eyes might have been a different color, but he was about your height and had a similar build and jawline."

"Must’ve been darker in there than you remember," said Mitch.

"I can’t picture Gage ever going in to steal something," Logan added.

"Agreed," Mitch said. "But that doesn’t solve our problem. The item is gone. Somebody stole it. Leo," Mitch continued, "do you have any idea what this is really about?"

Leo frowned. "I thought it was about this ugly little statue. My friend said she wanted it back. Said she’d given it to a boyfriend as sort of a joke.

Then he donated it when he donated a pile of other things to the Met.

Told me she wanted it back as it was some kind of family thing.

Her father wanted to be buried with it. Some kind of family joke.

" He shook his head. “No tellin’ what that’s about. ”

Alex shook her head. "There’s got to be more to the story. It just doesn’t quite ring true."

Leo sighed. "Lass, I agree. It did seem like an odd request. But she’s a friend… well, less of a friend. More like someone I owed a favor to." He looked remorseful. "I’m sorry I got ye mixed up in this."

"It’s not a problem, Leo," Alex said. "I didn’t get caught. I just can’t get to the item. Your friend’s gonna have to be disappointed, because there’s nothing I can do about it now. I’m not going to track down whoever stole it. It’s just not worth it."

"Aye," he said. "I agree. We did our best. What’s done is done. There’s nothing I can do now. I’ll tell my friend."

"Great,” Alex said as relief flooded her. She’d been worried that Leo was going to ask her to track it down.

“Must run, lass—things to do." Leo offered a smile. “Don’t worry about all this. Thanks for trying.”

Alex smiled back. "Okay, Leo. We’ll catch up later."

"Sounds good."

Leo’s phone jostled as he disconnected the call. When he was gone, Alex lowered the lid of the laptop.

"What do you really think?" Mitch asked her.

"I think Leo was told a set of lies by the person he owed the favor to. And there’s something more about this statue.

But I also think… it doesn’t matter. Our part’s done.

It’s got nothing to do with any of us. We don’t have to worry about it.

What I really think is so weird," she added, "is how much this guy looked like Gage. My first reaction was it was you.” She pointed to Gage. “I even called out your name."

"That is weird," Mitch agreed. He tried to lighten the mood they’d all fallen under. “Does the world really need two of his ugly mug?”

"Hey!” Dani protested and reached across the arm of her chair to lay a hand on Gage’s thigh, a protective gesture. “He isn’t ugly.”

“Thanks, babe.” His smile at Dani was broad and filled with love. Then he sobered. “I gotta say it bothers me a bit,” Gage added.

Alex shrugged. "Either way, it’s all over and done with now." She stood up from the couch.

Mitch rose with her. "I don’t know about all of you, but it’s late and I’ve got to get some sleep.”

"Yep. Time to go." Dani yawned as she tried to get up from the chair. Gage had to come over and pull her up.

"Thanks, Dani," Alex said. "I know you must be exhausted."

"No worries. I had a nap earlier today. But yeah, I’m looking forward to going home too."

"Okay, then. Everybody have a good night, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow," Logan said as he stood.

Lacy bounced up and lifted her long arms in a stretch. "Yes—we have a lot to do before the wedding. See everyone tomorrow!"

Alex nodded, grabbed Mitch’s hand, and headed toward the elevator. They got in, and the doors closed.

"Did you really think it was Gage?" Mitch asked.

"I did. And I gotta tell you… that leaves me feeling unsettled."

Mitch squeezed her hand. "Yeah, I agree. I can’t shake the feeling that whatever this is… it’s not over."

"Trouble," Alex murmured, "has a way of finding us and this is definitely trouble."