h unfolded lik

ssolve into stretches of green and stone villages perched like secrets on hillsides. She had packed only essentials, documents, clothes, her mo

em spoke for

eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. Isabella noticed everything: the way he adjusted spe

his before," s

at her. "Le

appe

es

rk," sh

or sur

er used to say Lake Como was the onl

. "It's secluded. Old money.

her favorite qu

s between mountains. Isabella felt something loosen in her chest. Memory rose unbidden, summer m

stone tucked among cypress trees. Matte

een here in ye

"I couldn't bring myself

nd cut the engine. The quiet p

through the rooms, fingertips grazing furniture draped in sheets. Every

sabella said, stopping before a small

ople like your mother don't

la said. "She tr

ard free. Beneath it lay a metal box

ements. Correspondence. Names she recognized and

beside her. "Thi

. "She was so care

ars," he said.

sfers routed through Monaco, Zurich, then back into Italy under charitable fronts. Isabella

a watched him through the window, the last light outlining his

utes later. "We

You said this place

lowed us part of the way. I lost t

rp and immediate

re," he s

d alarms Isabella barely remembered installing. She brewed

ably steady,"

e admitted. "But fe

r. "You grew

ok over her shoulder,"

ough the quiet, the cr

ng a gun from beneath his jac

re," he

orbell

Then

nd peered through the camera. His sho

aked from sudden rain, ha

Isabella

inside, eyes wide. "I

ardened. "You w

looked at Isabella. "You shouldn't

y access," Isabel

hed. "To pr

sing my

ce broke. "

went ve

uca was doing, she came to me. We tried to go through official

erground," Isabe

he died, I was warned to

Lucia closely.

a said. "And because they're planning something bi

Matteo

replied. "Days

nside her, not fear this time,

to her. "This

la said. "It

his lips before fading. "Th

ftened to a whisper. Isabella stood on the balcon

. "You didn't hav

she said. "I just

ng beside her. "Once we sta

being seen. If I'm going to be seen now,

tween them tightened, char

than you thin

afraid than you a

aped him, almost

ing fractured light, two people dr

documents

was adjusting his plans, unaware that the woman he ha