Bob’s eyes widened for a moment. Then he shook his head. He leaned against the worktable, studying the maps that Albert carefully laid out.

“Even though I know it’s one of my own men.” Dante massaged the base of his neck where a headache was forming.

“Suspect.” Albert flicked his eyes up at Dante. “We haven’t found corroborating evidence yet.”

Dante glared at his father for a minute before turning to his uncle.

“So now we have two bodies, a suspect so deep in hiding we can’t get a lead on him, and no one even suspecting the real mole is right under their noses.” Dante began to pace again. “This is a nightmare.”

“It’s only a matter of time before Kaimi can find a way to get off the islands undetected and make his way to friends in China.” Albert leaned over the work table, watching Dante.

“Then we’ll lose him for good. He will never stop searching for Laurie. No matter where he is, he’ll be looking for her. I need him behind bars.” Dante threw his hands up in the air.

“There is one way to handle this investigation now. We need to go there.” Albert leveled a look at Bob.

“We can’t. Every law enforcement official on the islands is looking for me.” Dante gestured to himself.

“They’re on the lookout for Kaimi, but he’s avoiding them just fine. It will make us think like he does.” Albert raised his eyebrows.

“No, no, no,” Dante shook his head. “I can’t leave Laurie without protection. They will do anything to kill her.”

“Your mother can take care of Laurie.” Albert pinned him with a look. “She was one of my best agents, after all.”

“No.” Dante walked away from his father. “That was years ago. There is no way we can find Kaimi, and leave Laurie and Mom here. Mom would kill both of us!”

“It’s the only way, son.” Albert came around the table towards him. “It’s the only way he’ll ever leave her alone. You’ll never get a good night’s sleep if we don’t do this.”

Dante grimaced. He turned back to his father and uncle.

“We can’t.” Dante held up a hand. “It’s too dangerous for Laurie and Mom. If we’re caught before we catch him, then all of us will end up in jail. Both of you aided and abetted the kidnapping of a federal witness. They won’t care that she went willingly; they’ll find some way to make it stick. It won’t matter to them.”

“Then we’ll have to find Kaimi and the mole before anyone finds us.” Albert put his hands on his hips.

Dante laughed.

“It will never work. There’s no way it can work.” Dante turned away.

His father took a couple of steps to close the gap between them.

“Why wouldn’t it?” Albert asked. “You are the best Marshal in the federal service. You know that. So do I. Hilton’s been feeding me your evaluations for years.”

Albert’s eyes held a mixture of confidence and admiration. His father had never said one word to him, not one, of praise. Then his father put his strong, work-worn hands on Dante’s shoulders.

“You and me.” Albert shook him. “We can find this man. We can put him away where he can pay for everything he’s done, where he can’t hurt Laurie anymore. It’s just one mission.”

Dante’s brows knit, trying to decide between the safe defensive road, and the long-shot offensive path. One small step on that path, and it could blow up in all their faces. He thought hard, torn between wanting to protect, and wanting justice.

Albert pressed on Dante’s shoulders in a firm grip.

“It’s one last mission. You and me. We can find him.” His eyes were pleading Dante to agree.

Dante realized how much his father needed him; his father just needed him to say yes. He took a deep breath.

“Okay. You’re right. It’s the only way,” Dante said softly.

“Yes. Yes, son, it is the only way.” Albert shook Dante’s shoulders. He released his hold on Dante, turning to his brother. With eyes alight, he smiled at Bob.

Bob rolled his eyes while heaving a great sigh. He stretched out his forearms to lean forward onto the worktable, shaking his head at Albert.

“Bob. Come on Bob, don’t hold out on us.” Albert ambled back to the table. “Your nephew needs you.”

Bob started laughing. He laughed until he doubled over. He stared at the floor, shaking his head and laughing. A minute or two later, he leaned against the worktable.

“We have to be back by Christmas. Gabriella will kill me if I’m not there for Christmas,” Bob said finally.

Albert smiled. He approached the table to extend his hand out to Bob. Bob playfully smacked his hand away.

“I’m not doing this for you.” Bob pointed at the table with his chin. “I’m doing this for Dante, and for the woman and child. No one deserves to die like that.”

Still smiling, Albert leaned over the map of Hawaii.

Dante joined his father and uncle at the worktable to see his father unroll another map, this one a map of the United States. There were several other maps Dante had never seen before. They were sections of the country between Nebraska and Southern California.

“What’s our flight plan?” Albert took a pencil, handing it to Bob.

Bob swiped the pencil out of Albert’s hand with overexaggerated force. Then he took the ruler and began sketching out a flight plan crisscrossing several air bases until the Pacific Ocean. Then they debated on where they should start their search on Hawaii. They settled on Molokai, since that was the freshest lead. Finally, they debated on where on the islands they should land. In the end, they settled back on Bradshaw, despite the distance to Molokai.

“Do you have any friends with a boat?” Bob’s eyes flicked up to Dante.

“I can’t contact any of my friends. They’re all in law enforcement.” Dante leaned over the map.

“I can rent one as a tourist looking to fish.” Albert nodded.

“We’ll need one for the entire time we’re there. You got enough cash in that safe to make it work?” Bob quirked an eyebrow at Albert.

Albert gave him a sly smile.

“I’ll have plenty.” He rolled up the map of Hawaii.

“All right then. When should we plan on leaving?” Dante asked.

“Day after Thanksgiving. No one will be at the airbases. They won’t care about a little plane with a couple of vets. But we’ll all have to promise Gabriella you’ll have me back before Christmas.” Bob nodded to Albert.

“We can’t tell the women.” Albert’s hand cut through the air.

“Why?” Bob stood up straight.

“Would your wife just let you up and leave to go track down a mob boss?” Albert’s expression grew impatient.

Bob thought about it for a minute, then shook his head no.

“Neither would mine. His would insist on going with him.” Albert pointed to Dante.

Dante smiled and gave a small laugh—his father was right.

“The women can’t know.” Albert laid a hand on the table, his expression sober. “It’s for their protection. In case anything happens, or Kaimi’s men track Laurie here, it’s better if they don’t know where we are.”

Dante nodded absently. He couldn’t let his thoughts wander too far down that road. The idea of Kaimi’s men even being in the same state with Laurie made every muscle tense. He assured himself they were well hidden, they were safe, and Laurie would be safe until he returned.

Bob agreed not to tell Gabriella. Next, Bob plucked his cell phone from his pocket and began to call in a few favors at the airbases he wanted to pass through.

With plans now laid, Dante’s heart sank. He had a handful of days left with Laurie. This plan was one thing he wasn’t going to share with her. His father clapped him on the shoulder, distracting him from his thoughts.

“His days are numbered now. I’ll keep up on the investigation. Hopefully, we’ll get a good lead from there.” Albert grinned, a wicked glint in his eyes.

Dante nodded as he watched his father roll up the maps. He stared at the table, before they headed for the door of the barn. Switching off the light, he followed his father and uncle out into the frigid November air. Dante shivered, quickening his step, anxious to spend time with the woman he now had to leave.