Chapter 13

Keres parks the van, checks that she was not followed, and binds and hoods the sedated Mia—Lorenzo Moretti’s wife—accepting that the wrong target is still valuable leverage. Phoenix arrives in a gray station wagon, and they move Mia to the back seat, trusting the area’s lack of cameras and delayed discovery.

Keres instructs Phoenix to take Mia through a garage into the house unseen and emphasizes a long chain so Mia can access the bathroom. She insists Mia must remain unharmed to preserve bargaining power, noting Phoenix’s twitchiness and likely refusal to take medication.

Privately, Keres recalls Phoenix’s past violent outbursts and her own need to protect Phoenix. Keres admits to herself that she shares Moretti blood, that the family sold her unknowingly, and that she seeks information before killing Dante, Lorenzo, Joey, and Maximo.

Phoenix presses for a fast end and escape; Keres promises to call after her meeting and repeats that Mia must be kept comfortable. They cling to a shared dream of fleeing to an island, despite Keres’s doubts about a cure for Phoenix’s pain.

After Phoenix departs with Mia, Keres retrieves her motorcycle and decides to call Ace instead of Romeo, intending to provoke Ace and advance her plan.