JAKE

With a yawn, I pushed open the office doors. The early morning light filtered through the windows, illuminating the empty desks.

My mind buzzed with thoughts. The wedding was only a week away, and the to-do list seemed endless. I had to finalize my best-man speech and perfect the plans for Luke's bachelor party. I wanted everything to be flawless for Luke and Chloe.

And if I was being totally honest with myself, there was another reason I was eager for the wedding. I hadn't seen Emma in ages, not since her job interviews took over her life. And well, it took me a while to admit how much I missed her.

Sipping the espresso I grabbed from Cora's coffee shop, I couldn't help but smile as memories of our first meeting washed over me.

A part of me wondered if I was truly ready for a relationship—if I was prepared for that kind of commitment. And I wasn't sure if Emma was either, especially after she shared her fears about love and getting hurt with me.

Yet, from the moment we met, I couldn't get her out of my mind. She was like a fire that burned brighter than any I had ever known. Her presence filled my world with warmth and energy, making me feel alive in ways I hadn't in years. It was exhilarating and a little terrifying, this undeniable pull I felt toward her.

Still, I was content with taking things slow and seeing where they led. Perhaps we would find our way together, one step at a time.

As for the case, I made an effort to set it aside and focus on the simpler ones for a while. I needed to clear my mind and be fully present for Luke's wedding. And maybe, when I returned to the case, I would spot something I had missed before.

Setting my coffee cup next to a stack of papers, I settled behind my desk and began my daily routine: a quick scan of the latest news updates followed by a dive into the sea of emails.

Among the usual flood of updates, reports, and spam, one email stood out. Its subject line, "URGENT," was blunt and unsettling.

I frowned, my hand hovering over the mouse. Anonymous tips were nothing new, but this one felt different. My gut churned with a mix of caution and curiosity as I hovered over the email, debating whether to open it.

Finally, curiosity won. I clicked on the email, and as the contents loaded, my eyes widened, and my heart raced. Attached were several documents, photos, and videos, all focused on one person: Saverio Vitale.

I opened the first document, my pulse quickening as I scanned through detailed financial records linking Vitale to money laundering and fraud. The next file contained grainy but unmistakable footage of Vitale in meetings with known criminals.

Each new file only deepened my astonishment. The evidence was staggering and meticulously detailed. I felt a surge of adrenaline—this could be the breakthrough we needed.

Without a second thought, I bolted from my desk and weaved through the bullpen and up the stairs to my boss' office. He was always the first to arrive, and I knew he was already there.

Without knocking, I burst in. "Sir, you need to see this."

Michael Ashford looked up from his computer screen, a mix of shock and curiosity crossing his face. I suspected my sudden entrance wasn't the only thing causing this reaction.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before responding. "Take a seat, Parker."

I sat down opposite him, sensing that I wasn't the only one with news to share.

"From your reaction, I take it you've received the same email," Ashford said.

I arched an eyebrow. "The one about Vitale?"

He nodded.

"Yes," I said. "I just reviewed it. It's massive."

Ashford's expression hardened. "But let's not forget we don't even know who sent it."

"I know it's from an anonymous sender, but the detail is too specific to be fake," I replied. "We can't ignore it."

Ashford leaned back, fixing me with a hard stare. "It could be a trap."

"I understand. But we can't let this slip by. If it's real, this could be our chance to bring Vitale down," I argued, my eyes locked with Ashford's penetrating gaze.

Ashford held my gaze for a few tense moments before sighing and rubbing his temples. "Alright. We'll assemble a team of our most trusted agents. I hate to say this, but we need to be cautious. Vitale has a lot of connections, and we don't want this information leaking before we have a solid case."

Nodding, I felt determination build up in my chest. "I'll lead the team. I'm confident we can do this, Sir."

As soon as I left Ashford's office, I scanned the bullpen for a familiar face and was relieved to spot Luke already at his desk. I hurried down the stairs and quickly grabbed my laptop before ushering Luke into a conference room before he could finish his morning coffee.

"Hey, what's the rush for?" Luke asked, setting his mug down with a frown.

"We've got something big. Vitale big," I said, closing the door behind us. "I just received an email with evidence against him. It's huge."

Luke's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," I replied, opening my laptop to show him the evidence. "But we have less than 48 hours. If Vitale catches wind of this, we lose him."

Luke ran a hand through his hair, taking in the gravity of the situation. "Alright, who can we trust to help us with this?"

"I was thinking Lisa and Scott," I said without hesitation. "Lisa's the best analyst we've got, and Scott's street connections are top-notch. And I'm confident that neither of them has any ties to Vitale."

"I'm also coordinating with Liam Hunt from Violent Crimes," I added. "He's been working on Declan's case and can help from his end."

Luke nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's do this."

Twenty minutes later, we were all gathered around the conference table. I briefed them on the email and distributed copies of all the attached documents.

Once I finished, I took a deep breath and looked at them intently. "This could be our only chance. If Vitale leaves JFK and gets wind of this, he could disappear for good. We need to work around the clock and put our social lives on hold until he's in handcuffs."

"What's the plan?" Scott asked.

"We go through the evidence and build a case strong enough to convince a judge to sign an arrest warrant," I explained. "We need to sift through all the material, find the smoking guns, and put it all together."

Luke sighed, a wry smile on his lips. "And here I thought I'd be spending my last week as a bachelor doing something a bit more... festive."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, let's make sure that by the time of the wedding, Vitale is cooling his heels in a Supermax cell. Otherwise, Chloe will have our heads if anything messes up the wedding."

The room filled with a brief burst of nervous laughter—a fleeting moment of relief before the chaos began. With a shared nod, we all got down to business, the weight of the task ahead heavy on our shoulders.

But despite the gravity of the situation, a spark of hope flickered within me. We were going to make this happen. We had to.

***

The office became our home. We survived on caffeine, adrenaline, and fifteen-minute naps, as the hours blurred together while we sifted through the mountain of evidence, each piece more damning than the last.

The burden of our task weighed heavily on me, with tension apparent in every muscle. Failure wasn't an option. The thought of Vitale slipping through our fingers haunted me, the faces of his victims vivid in my mind.

Every document, photo, and video was scrutinized and cross-referenced with known associates, financial records, and previous intelligence reports. We also checked in with our confidential informants, validated the data, and built a comprehensive timeline.

Luke and I then compiled a detailed case summary, highlighting the most incriminating evidence. And by the dawn of the day Vitale was scheduled to arrive, we had a solid case against him.

Ashford called a federal judge he trusted, and Luke and I went to meet him. We presented our case and held our breath as the judge reviewed our evidence.

He leaned back in his chair, skepticism clear on his face. Each second felt like an hour, the tension almost unbearable. My palms were clammy, and my heartbeat echoed in my ears.

"Your Honor," I said, forcing calm into my voice despite the knot of anxiety in my chest, "if Vitale steps out of JFK, he'll disappear. We need this warrant now. Every minute we delay jeopardizes our entire operation."

The judge's gaze moved slowly over the piles of evidence we had presented. His expression remained impassive, and the room felt like it was closing in on me, the walls pressing in with each passing moment. I knew this was our only chance.

After what felt like an eternity, the judge finally looked up, his decision made. He signed the arrest warrant, his pen scratching across the paper as if sealing our fate. Relief surged through me, though it was tempered by the knowledge that we had less than an hour before Vitale's plane touched down.

With the warrant secured, Luke and I dashed out of the courthouse and jumped into our car. The engine roared to life as we sped toward JFK, ready to welcome Vitale with open handcuffs.

***

The terminal buzzed with the relentless hum of activity—travelers weaving through the crowd, occasional announcements slicing through the air, and the steady murmur of conversations blending into a continuous roar.

Amid the organized chaos of JFK, our team waited in front of the arrival gate like a gathering storm poised to break.

The metal gate slid open, and we held our breath as a sea of travelers began to pass through, searching for a certain face. And then there he was.

Vitale cut through the crowd with the arrogance of someone who believed himself above every law ever written by a man.

The two SWAT agents we had with us were the first to approach him. I watched as his proud smirk vanished, replaced by shock and confusion as the agents took hold of him.

I stepped forward, my pulse quickening with each step. The airport noise seemed to fade, leaving only the focus of this moment.

When Vitale noticed me, his eyes took on the look of a caged beast.

Allowing a small smile, I pushed the warrant into his face. "Saverio Vitale, you're under arrest."

Vitale's shock quickly hardened. His gaze locked onto mine, dark eyes flashing with menace. "Agent Parker," he spat. "This is a mistake you'll come to regret."

I met his glare with a calm, almost amused expression. "You know, threatening a federal agent is another charge we can add to the list."

He attempted to lunge at me, but the SWAT officers were already at work, restraining him and cuffing him behind his back.

I watched as Vitale's face twisted in anger while he was roughly guided toward the exit, his rights being read to him.

Once Vitale was out of sight, a wave of satisfaction washed over me. The tension of the past days began to dissolve, replaced by a sense of accomplishment.

I glanced back at the team, their faces reflecting my relief and triumph. We had done it. Vitale was finally in custody, and our hard work had paid off.

Deep down, I knew the battle wasn't over, but for now, I allowed myself to savor the victory.

***

The days after Vitale's arrest passed in a blur. We made several other arrests, and Vitale's minions seemed to suddenly find their voices and started singing like canaries to save themselves. It was clear they knew Vitale's empire was a sinking ship, and they were willing to cut deals with us to avoid going down with him.

Their testimonies were a goldmine, pinning Vitale to several murders, including Declan's. And so the evidence against him piled up: racketeering, money laundering, fraud, and conspiracy to commit murder.

A grim satisfaction settled in me each time another piece of the puzzle fell into place. It wasn't just about justice for Declan; it was about dismantling the entire corrupt empire Vitale had built and holding him accountable for the full extent of his crimes.

And the story didn't end there. We found even more evidence at Vitale's residences and safe houses. We uncovered several stolen antiquities and art pieces, including none other than the "Corridor in the Asylum" painting. It felt good knowing that we had secured restitution and that the painting would be returned to the Met, where it belonged.

But for me, the case wasn't closed yet. The actual thieves were still out there, and I wasn't going to rest until they were behind bars, too.

Speaking of the thieves...

I glanced over at Luke, who was slumped in his chair, eyes rimmed with red lines and looking ready to drop dead. "Who do you think sent the email?" I asked.

Luke yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Probably one of Vitale's rivals. Crossing Vitale is suicide. It had to be someone with guts and connections to get inside his lair and uncover all that evidence."

I hummed thoughtfully, a frown forming on my forehead.

Luke noticed and crossed his arms. "You've got another theory, don't you? Care to share?"

"You'll probably think I'm crazy, but my gut tells me everything ties back to the Met's case. I think the thieves might be involved."

"You're crazy." Luke rolled his eyes. "Why would they do that?"

I shrugged. "Everything happened after Vitale got to Declan. Maybe they realized they weren't safe with Vitale out there."

"So... they decide to go on a suicide mission targeting Vitale and then send us a trove of evidence just out of the goodness of their hearts?" Luke raised an eyebrow. "Besides, Jake, we don't even know if those thieves are still in the country."

I sighed. "It's just a hunch. Anyway, we still need to keep looking for them, no matter what."

But before Luke could respond, I decided to change the subject, sensing the weariness in both of us. "But that's a problem for another day. Tonight, we should celebrate. Vitale will be behind bars for the rest of his life."

Luke grinned. "That's what I've been waiting to hear. Drinks to celebrate?"

"Absolutely," I replied with a smile. "And to prepare for a certain someone's bachelor party."

Luke laughed, the sound bringing some much-needed life back into the tired room. "And here I thought that certain someone had been long forgotten."

I scoffed and grinned. "Oh, I could never."

We both laughed. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this story.

The case against Vitale was solid, but something told me there were more layers waiting to be uncovered. The thought gnawed at me, a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit.

And as we headed out to celebrate, I made a silent promise to myself that I wouldn't rest until every piece was in place.