THE LITTLE GIRL ASKED TO SIT WITH A STRANGER—BUT HER MOTHER NEVER EXPECTED THE MAFIA BOSS TO RECOGNIZE HER FACE

said. “Children are a line. The other houses will not cross with us if we do this dirty. We do it clean, fast, no fingerprints. Make it look like an accident or a third party.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Riley?”

“Yes?”

“If you fail, do not come home.”

The line went dead.

Marcus opened his laptop and pulled up two photographs of Lily on a school playground in a red continue reading …