“I didn’t think Hudson would talk about this at work, but I was wrong.” Luna sighs.
“Well, I’m not surprised,” I start, “they aren’t the type to wait for instructions. Vale is an interesting offer, but nothing we can’t handle ourselves.”
Jules dips her head in agreement.
Luna clears her throat, her eyes flicking to her notes. “The second thing… Stone just looped me in on a new case. Celebrity parties in Bel-Air, suspected trafficking network feeding into Mexico. The details…they’re almost identical to Dad’s parties on the island. Overlap on the guest lists. Funding tracks back to the same shell companies. Even looks like Russian security teams running cover.”
For a long moment, no one says anything. The only sound is the hum of the overhead lights.
Jules is the first to find her voice. “You’re saying it’s the same operation? Or a copycat?”
“I don’t know yet,” Luna replies, “but the pattern is too similar to ignore. Stone already had his suspicions before he brought me in. I haven’t shared my findings yet, but he specifically asked me to compare notes to all our files on Jared Whiteman and Sophie Delacroix.”
I press a hand to my temple where an old ache returns—the one that lives somewhere between memory and warning. “Fuck.”
Luna watches me, waiting for me to say more.
I don’t, because what can I say? That I’m not surprised Sophie may be operating under the radar? That we should have found her by now? Or should I lead with the fact that it’s my fault Hudson and Enzo are circling us? That even knowing we shouldn’t make an alliance with them, I’m not sure I can stay away.
I give a small shake of my head. “Assuming Bel-Air could be connected to Sophie, we should follow the Russian funding and ties to Volkov’s old network. When was the last time we had eyes on Junior?”
“Good idea,” Luna says. “I’ll run searches on Volkov’s old contacts. There is still no chatter on Sophie. It’s been…a couple of months since I ran surveillance near Junior’s estate—still no sign of him having left the estate, no systems I can hack into, no known crew on the streets. A ghost.”
We keep hoping we’ll catch wind of Junior Volkov leaving his fortress or find something on the dark web about what he’s been up to since his dad died, but we’ve had no luck in the last decade. He certainly has enough money to stay hidden for the rest of his life.
Sophie was supposed to go to the Volkov estate after Maribel. So were we. Junior’s dad was meant to protect all of us, but that was before Sophie turned evidence against Jared Whiteman.
Jules, Luna, and I have been back and forth on whether we think Konstantin helped Sophie turn Dad in or if he was as surprised as our father. All we know for sure is that he and Junior left unexpectedly that day, narrowly missing the raid.
Screams guilty to me.
Our assumption was that Sophie has been in witness protection this whole time, but someone as well-known and infamousas her staying hidden for nearly twenty years? When every powerful person in the country (and world) wants her dead? Seems unlikely. Yet…where is she?
Luna takes notes on her laptop, Jules flips through her notebook, but we are each caught in our own thoughts. Frozen between two current threats and haunted by memories.
Jules is determined to be the one to take Sophie down and I know the fact that it’s taken this long to find her bothers her to no end. Luna can’t let go of the image of Junior as the childhood best friend who took care of her. I know she hopes she finds him before his enemies can—his biggest enemy being Enzo Luciano.
Jules interrupts my train of thought, saying, “We can’t go after Vale yet, not until after the gala. When he falls, we have to be ready to take down several other marks in quick succession.”
“Whatever we decide,” I say, “we can’t let Hudson or Enzo get leverage. Maybe we meet them, hear them out, and come to the table with a counteroffer of our own.”
“Wait, what? You’ve been the most vocalagainstpartnering with them. Or anyone, for that matter,” Luna responds.
“Oh, but that was before our possible allies included a hot mobster who is obsessed with her and the only man she’s allowed to have multiple repeat performances in her bed,” Jules deadpans. Her eyes meet mine in challenge.
Luna shakes her head. “I still can’t believe John from the casino is Hudson.”
We all make noises of agreement at that.
“Don’t worry, Hudson won’t be making any more appearances in my bed. And Enzo can get over his crush. I’m not interested.”
Both my sisters roll their eyes at me.
“Idon’twant to hear them out, but I know they won’t stop pushing their way in. The timeline between now and the gala is shortening. So, let’s see what they have to say.”
“What if we bring them in on Malin, instead?” Luna offers, like her brain is already thinking a few steps ahead. “Jules, you said a few times we could use more bodies.”
“Yeah. I know. I just wantedmypeople on it,” she grumbles. “I don’t trust these guys and I don’t know if we have time to bring them in on the plan. We need Malin taken out within the week.”
