"Also, your cousin Veyron found out that Moon finalized the divorce through a law firm, so it looks very much like Anzo is not the one responsible for his disappearance."
Sure enough, Hunter keeps staring out into the garden like I haven’t said anything at all.
Should I mention Sun? Maybe this is the only way to shake him out of this stupor.
"Do you know who I ran into inside the Ferro estate?"
Silence. Same blank face.
"You won’t believe it. Yet another cousin of yours! Sun Nolan. How bizarre!"
A small twitch on his face tells me it got through to him. But to my surprise… he still says nothing.
"I probably shouldn't tell you this, since I don't have his permission—"
"Then why are you telling me?" Hunter snaps, and the sudden intensity in his voice nearly knocks me back.
He feels like a porcupine, bristling with defensive energy, and I can tell he’s barely holding himself back from throwing me out.
"Anyway. I’m working on a plan to extract Summer from the fortress. But to pull it off, I need to make sure my parents are safe. When we talked on the phone, you said you’d look into the details. Your contact in witness protection, Zachary, remember? Did you talk to him?"
Hunter’s jaw tightens until it’s just a sharp line.
"I tried calling. He didn’t pick up. I haven’t spoken to Zachary in years. I can’t help you, Ragnar. Hiding from the mafia is damn near impossible. They’ve got people in the police, in all kinds of institutions. It’s—"
"Don’t tell me this bullshit, Hunter! Witness protection pulled it off before. You guys hid people from the mafia all the time—"
"Weren’t you listening? I haven’t talked to Zachary in two years. I haven’t worked there in nine. I joined the army, remember? I don’t know how I could help you. I’ve got my own shit to deal with, no strength left to take on anyone else’s."
I clench my jaw.
"My brothers and my parents are the only family I have. Can you blame me for trying to protect them, Hunter? I think youunderstand what it means to worry about someone you love," I say it coldly and stand up, realizing this is going nowhere.
Hunter seems completely lost to the world. Olaf’s death broke him. And sure as hell, I can’t repair him.
I turn toward the door, but then I hear it.
"Wait."
Reluctantly, I stop.
Hunter slowly stands and walks over, though he still won’t meet my eyes. I sense some guilt in him.
"Do you even understand how witness protection works, Ragnar? They don’t just take people off the street. The program’s for people actively testifying against criminal organizations. With vital information. It needs court or prosecutor approval. It’s an entire operation, new identities, financial support…"
"I get that, Hunter! But there have to be some workarounds. Even just changing their personal data—"
Hunter sighs and looks off to the side. Silence stretches.
"I’ll try calling him again. Maybe he’ll answer. I’ll see if there’s anything he can do, at least for your parents. But… have you even talked to them about this? They run a gardening business, Ragnar. They’d have to leave their whole life behind…"
"They know. They understand the risks. If I manage to get Summer out, the mafia will come for them. They’re ready to move. They’ve been planning to shut the business down anyway, being retirement age. They can live off their pensions."
Hunter lets out a dry breath of disbelief.
"That’s exactly how the mafia tracks people down, bank activity. It’s not that simple: just disappearing and living a quiet retirement. If it were, we wouldn’t need witness protection. That’s why I need to talk to Zachary first. I’ll do that for you, if I can reach him."
"Thank you, Hunter," I say quietly.
