and Medellín struck Raina wit

'd left: wet streets, distant horns, the smell of coffee from a kiosk. Then a taxi dri

ed neatly at her nape; her lipstick was a muted red. The woman

as the

w them. Her name, her clothes, her smile-each had been selected, rehearsed, an

took her suitc

bla

a quick lo

rtme

dow, her fingers found the folded paper in her jacket pocket. Sh

ore Mo

o Mor

an Mo

o Be

or a question she had not yet answered. S

et streaked with rain. Raina's shoulders tightened before she could stop them. He

hanged. The

a checked the lobby camera, the front desk, the reflection in the elevator doors. No one

id she set

closet. A habit built from too many nights waking at every sound-and f

, toiletries, a compact first-aid kit. Beneath

on the counter, the

ned gray. He sat at the kitchen table, sleeves rolled to his elbows, lau

k," she

he closed the folder and sprea

h him. Not until she knew how the night had been arranged, who had given the orde

burned warehouse that had been declared the end of the trail. Each lead had narrowed the cir

ting for cl

one vi

moved towar

act, Mateo: Gala guest list conf

ed up th

h ta

o Bellini. He's attending w

Niko's name was written in

: Send me

te: Charity gala. Tonight. Lucian More

read i

n. Ho

strange. Somewhere below, the Moretti family was preparing to welcome donors, politicians, and allies beneath c

s began

sts. The tremor eased,

ent interc

told anyone in the building that she was home. She cros

t the desk holdin

intercom button.

d the camera. "Ms. Hills

creen was the one she had chosen for he

see who b

left it do

it up. I'l

elevator. She kept her eyes on the floor numbers, her reflection, the door

ress. Her name printed

emblem had been pressed into the

ow

doorman leaned closer. "

N

invitation to the Moretti charity gala, her

slipped onto

ted tonight.

ed up at the security camera. The person who sent it knew

nvitation beside the list and drew one hard line through Nik

, checked the magazine, an

he gala's public announcement: a black-and-white portra

ELCOME NOTABLE GUES

irst featured g

red at th

Bel