Vanessa stared at Gale for several seconds.
"You're serious."
Gale didn't look away from the warehouse floor.
"Yes."
Marco rubbed his forehead.
"Absolutely not."
Vanessa glanced at him.
"You don't even know the full plan yet."
Marco pointed at her.
"The plan already includes you getting kidnapped."
Vanessa shrugged.
"That's a small detail."
Marco looked horrified.
"You're enjoying this way too much."
Vanessa leaned slightly closer to Gale.
"So what exactly is the plan?"
Gale's eyes were still watching the meeting below.
"They believe you are my weakness."
Vanessa smirked.
"That's adorable."
"They will attempt to capture you."
"Yes, we established that."
Gale finally turned to face her.
"And we will let them try."
Marco immediately shook his head.
"No."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
"Relax."
Marco pointed toward the warehouse floor.
"There are at least ten armed men down there."
"Eight," Vanessa corrected calmly.
Marco blinked.
"You counted?"
"Professional habit."
Gale nodded slightly.
"Eight guards."
Marco sighed.
"I hate both of you."
Vanessa looked back toward the meeting.
Romano was pacing now, clearly agitated.
Sebastian Vale remained seated, calm as ever.
"You think they'll attack tonight?" she asked.
"No."
Vanessa frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because they don't know we're here."
Marco glanced around nervously.
"And let's keep it that way."
Vanessa thought for a moment.
"So they'll wait."
"Yes."
"To plan the kidnapping."
"Yes."
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"And you want to make it easy for them."
Gale nodded once.
Vanessa slowly smiled.
"I like this plan."
Marco groaned.
"Of course you do."
Vanessa looked at him.
"You worry too much."
"You don't worry enough."
Inside the warehouse, Romano suddenly slammed his fist on the table again.
"We should kill her immediately!"
Sebastian shook his head calmly.
"That would waste the opportunity."
Romano glared at him.
"Then what?"
Sebastian's voice remained quiet but confident.
"We take her alive."
Vanessa whispered softly.
"Very flattering."
Marco looked at Gale.
"They're serious."
Gale nodded.
"I know."
Vanessa leaned closer to Gale again.
"So how do we trigger the trap?"
Gale looked toward the warehouse entrance.
"We leave."
Vanessa blinked.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
Marco frowned.
"Leaving is the plan?"
"Yes."
Vanessa looked confused.
"Explain."
Gale stepped away from the crates quietly.
"They need to believe we know nothing."
Vanessa followed him.
"So we pretend tonight never happened."
"Yes."
Marco sighed.
"That actually makes sense."
Vanessa glanced back toward the meeting one last time.
Sebastian Vale was speaking again.
Romano looked calmer now.
Planning.
Scheming.
Vanessa whispered quietly.
"You're sure they'll go after me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Gale looked at her directly.
"Because you matter."
Vanessa scoffed.
"That's your mistake."
Gale didn't argue.
Instead he walked toward the exit.
Marco followed quickly.
Vanessa stayed behind for a second longer.
Her eyes rested on Sebastian Vale.
Something about that man bothered her.
His calm.
His confidence.
Like he knew something they didn't.
Vanessa finally turned away and followed Gale out the side door.
The cold air hit her again as they stepped back outside.
The gravel crunched beneath their feet.
They moved quietly toward the gap in the fence.
Once they were outside the compound, Marco exhaled heavily.
"Well."
Vanessa stretched slightly.
"That was fun."
Marco looked at her.
"You call that fun?"
"Yes."
"You're terrifying."
Vanessa grinned.
"Thank you."
They reached the cars again.
Gale stopped before opening the door.
Vanessa watched him.
"You're thinking."
"Yes."
"About what?"
"The Circle."
Vanessa leaned against the car.
"You didn't expect them to show up."
"No."
"Does that change the plan?"
Gale considered it.
Then shook his head.
"No."
Vanessa smiled slightly.
"Good."
Marco climbed into the driver's seat.
"I would really like a plan where nobody kidnaps our boss's wife."
Vanessa slid into the back seat beside Gale.
"Too late."
Marco started the engine.
"You're way too comfortable with this."
Vanessa looked out the window as the car pulled away from the warehouse.
The city lights passed slowly in the distance.
"You know what the funny part is?" she said quietly.
Gale glanced at her.
"What?"
Vanessa smirked slightly.
"They think they're setting a trap."
Gale's eyes darkened faintly.
"Yes."
Vanessa leaned back in her seat.
"But they have no idea they're walking into one."
Gale didn't respond.
But the faint smile that appeared on his face told her everything she needed to know.
Because somewhere in the city—
Victor Romano and the Circle were preparing a kidnapping.
And soon—
They would learn the most dangerous mistake a criminal could make.
Trying to hunt a detective.
Especially one who had married the mafia king.