The next day moved like static. Mandy barely slept. She kept thinking of what it would be like to see her mother again. To hear her voice, to hug her… and to pretend, even for a few minutes, that her life wasn’t completely ruined.

Dante didn’t say much all morning. He made a few calls, arranged for a car, spoke with Marco and Rhea about extra precautions. But he barely looked at Mandy. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was angry, worried or just calculating the risk.

By late ...