“You always were a disappointing investment, Dominic,” she said, her voice smooth and devoid of emotion.

“It’s over, Mother,” Dominic said. “The feds have the ledger. They have Miriam Hale.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, the sound of jet engines roaring faintly in the background.

“A ledger is just paper, Dominic,” she said softly. “And papers can be lost.”

“Not this time,” Dominic said.

“I built this family,” Caterina said. “I will not let you destroy it for a common girl and a child who doesn’t even know her own name.”

“Where is Lucia?” I screamed at the phone.

“She is where she belongs,” Caterina said. “And soon, I will be where you can never reach me.”

The call went dead.

Dominic slammed his hand against the steering wheel.

“She’s at the airfield,” he said.

We took the exit for Teterboro, the tires gripping the wet asphalt as we sped toward the private aviation terminal.

The sky was beginning to turn a pale, cold blue in the east.

We tore through the security gate of the terminal, the guard shouting behind us.