"It changes a lot." I pocket my phone. "Fifty thousand—chump change. I would have gladly covered that if I'd needed to. A million dollars, stolen, Alexei won't let that go. Ever."
I certainly wouldn't.
"But would he attack a Nero safe house?" Leo's voice is skeptical. "That's an act of war."
"Maybe he doesn't care anymore." I don't know if I agree with that. A million is bad, especially coupled with a betrayal. But it doesn't send the kind of message Alexei is known for. Something isn't right here, but I can't put my finger on what.
Leo starts pacing again. "I don't think it's him. Think about it. Why attack the safe house? You can't get money out of a dead man, and even if Sera was involved, why kill her? She's your wife now. Pregnant with your child. Every single family would go after him for breaking the code."
"What are you thinking?"
Leo frowns. "Someone wanted to send a message. And I don't think it was the Morozovs."
"Any idea who? I've got a long list of enemies, and if you add Bianca's and apparently, Gabriel's, Sera is fucked."
"I don't know yet. But whoever it was, they knew Serawould be there. They knew exactly when to hit and how to do maximum damage."
The implication sits heavy between us.
Someone on the inside.
A mole, or even worse, someone we don't know.
"Tell me about Gabriel's escape," I say.
Leo's jaw tightens. "He was in the living room when the attack started. Zip-tied. Under guard. By the time I got Sera to safety and came back, he was gone."
"How did he get free?"
"I don't know. The guards who were watching him are dead." Leo's voice goes cold. "But I checked the window he jumped from. Three-story drop onto concrete. No body. No blood. Either he's dead somewhere we haven't found yet, or?—"
"Or someone was waiting to catch him."
Leo nods. "The timing was too perfect. Attack happens. Chaos everywhere. And Gabriel just happens to escape in the middle of it?"
"You think he set this up."
"I think he's involved." Leo pulls out his phone, pulls up something, shows me. "Surveillance from across the street. Watch the east window."
I watch the grainy footage. See the explosion. The smoke. And then?—
A figure jumping from the window.
And a van pulling up seconds later.
"Son of a bitch," I murmur.
"He had help." Leo pockets his phone. "Someone extracted him during the attack. Which means this whole thing might have been about getting Gabriel out."
"While making it look like an attack on us."
"Exactly."
I drain the rest of my scotch. Set the glass down carefully. Because if I don't, I'll throw it.
"Find him," I say quietly. "I don't care what it takes. I don't care who you have to pay or threaten or kill. Find Gabriel Romano and bring him to me."
"Alive?"
