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“Again,” I ask when the car drives away.

Andrei puts his hand over mine on the table. “What are you trying to find?”

“The moment he decides.” I swallow and keep my eyes on the screen. “If he knew Rick was dangerous, maybe there’s a sign. Maybe he tried to tell someone.”

“We can watch it again,” Andrei replies. “Tell me what you see.”

Reid starts the recording once more. I follow Connor from the edge of the frame to the car, studying each movement. He glances toward the garage entrance before Rick arrives. When Rick speaks, Connor gestures toward his Honda, perhaps offering to follow in his own car. Rick points toward the street, and Connor follows.

“That’s enough,” I murmur when the sedan disappears for the third time.

Reid pauses the video on the clearest image of both men.

“Rick told us Connor may have fled with cash,” I remind them. “He knew he was with Connor after Bellucci’s. He stood in front of me and let me believe my brother had left alone.”

Drew photographs the timestamp and file details. “I’m sending the detective the copy and the business owner’s contact information. The original is already on its way to him.”

“Tell him not to wait to request the surrounding cameras,” Andrei instructs. “And keep looking for Rick.”

Drew agrees, then steps into the hall to make the call. Reid remains at the table, checking the time against Connor’s phone records. I take my own phone and walk to the window, where I call Linda.

She answers on the third ring. “Cassie?”

“I have one question about Rick.” I press my hand against the window frame. “Did he ever tell anyone at the bank he met Connor on Tuesday night?”

“I never heard him mention it,” she replies. “Why?”

“We have video of them together after Connor left Bellucci’s. Connor got into a car with Rick.”

Linda gasps. “I need to tell the detective.”

“We’re sending the footage now. I wanted to know whether Rick ever acknowledged the meeting.”

“Not to me, and I haven’t heard anyone else mention it.” Her voice tightens. “Connor trusted him. Rick mentored him for years.”

“That makes it worse.”

After I end the call, I remain at the window. Vineyard workers move between the rows below, clipping, carrying, and calling to one another. Yesterday, the view from the guesthouse seemed peaceful. Today I search it for a person who might be paying too much attention to this house.

Andrei joins me after Reid takes his laptop to the administration building. Drew has gone to meet the security team.

“I’ll find Connor,” Andrei tells me.

“You don’t know where Rick took him.” I keep my voice low because I want to believe him so badly.

“No. We have the car, the time, and the direction he left. We know Rick lied about seeing him. It’s more than we had yesterday.”

I turn from the window. Andrei has rolled his sleeves above his forearms, exposing the scar across his left hand. Last night he told me how much he fears his past reaching this place. This morning he’s preparing to pursue a man who may have taken my brother, with no sign that he intends to rest until he finds him.

“I need you to tell me before you act on a lead,” I remind him. “Even if you think waiting to explain it will spare me.”

“I promised you I would.”

“Rick has Connor, or he knows who does. If you find him, I need to hear it from you.”

Andrei steps closer, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “You will.”

I put my arms around him, and he pulls me against his chest. I feel the warmth between us from when we woke. Then the thought of Connor getting into Rick’s car makes my fingers tighten in Andrei’s shirt.