Without that phone, he had no way to contact Gabriela without compromising their identities. He didn’t remember her number because he had programmed it into the missing phone. He couldn’t call her iPhone or go to her home in person, that would be too risky and leave a trail. Taking another sip of beer he worried what Gabi might do when she didn’t hear from him. Her hot temper was what drew him to her, but it was also something he had to manage to prevent a combustion. By the time he finished his third beer and had a nice long conversation with a man on a nearby bench who had just had a fight with his wife, nearly three hours had passed since he left Zoe in the hospital. He planned to go through his apartment again until he found that goddamned phone, even if it took all night.

As he walked up Central Park West near his building, a masked man and woman got out of a parked car.

“Conner Brandt,” said the man in a booming voice holding up a badge, “you’re under arrest for the attempted murder of Zoe Brandt. You have the right to remain silent…”

As Detective Williams read FBI Special Agent Conner Brandt his rights, Detective Kim snapped on a pair of handcuffs and led Conner to the back seat of a waiting car. While Conner was being transported, a police vehicle had been dispatched to pick up and arrest Gabriela García-Harmen at her apartment on the Lower East Side, right off 14th Street.

Conner was taken into the 24th Precinct and booked. While he waited to be processed, two police officers led a stunned Gabriela through a side door into the central booking room. When she and Conner saw each other, they stopped and stared, mouths open under their masks.

“What are you doing here?” said Conner to Gabriela.

“I hate to spoil the surprise, but given the circumstances, I’m afraid I must,” said Daryl. “It seems Ms. García-Harmen had booked a lovely cozy getaway for the two of you. You were to fly to Key West the last weekend of October. It sounds like it would have been a wonderfully romantic trip. Ms. García-Harmen sent you some pictures and photos of the plane tickets and hotel reservation this afternoon along with a little love note. Since I had your burner phone, thanks to your wife and Mr. McAllister acting as her courier, we were able to identify Ms. García-Harmen… and you, Sr. Bello.”

Conner looked over at Gabriela in disbelief.

“You said we’d be together in October,” said Gabriela. “I thought it would be nice to get away then and relax.”

Conner looked away and shook his head.

“Gabriela García-Harmen, you’re under arrest for conspiracy for the attempted murder of Zoe Brandt,” said Daryl.