Tom gave him a long, hard look. “Molina will be very displeased if you go after Burton on your own.”

“I really don’t care how much she’s displeased,” Rafe said mildly.

Tom sighed. “Look, I’m just the junior G-man here. Don’t be getting me into trouble, okay? I’ve got a few ideas about how to get someone into that nursing home, but Molina has to okay it.”

“And maybe she’ll even think it was her idea?”

Tom shrugged. “I’m pretty good at suggesting things to higher-ups in ways that don’t piss them off and boot me off the case. Give me a little time to present my ideas to Molina before you go off on your own, okay?”

Rafe nodded grudgingly. “Okay. Thank you.”

Tom started to leave, but stopped a foot away from where Rafe stood, leaning against his cane. “I would have done anything to keep my fiancée safe, so I know what you’re feeling right now. But Mercy needs you alive. Please don’t do anything she’ll regret.”

“All right. And thanks for the straight talk on the therapist. I’ll make an appointment tomorrow.”

Tom shook his head. “You didn’t distract me about you hunting down Ephraim, Rafe. But I’m glad you’re going to make the call to the doc. You won’t be sorry.”

“Hey, Tom? My mom made extra cake. You want a slice for the road?”

He grinned. “I never say no to cake.”

Rafe opened the door to see his mother edging away from the door guiltily, her hands filled with the tea tray. “Mom,” he groaned.

“I didn’t listen,” Irina claimed. “Much. I’m on my way back to the kitchen.”

“Allow me, ma’am.” Tom took the tray and followed Rafe’s mother.

Rafe brought up the rear, hoping that his mother hadn’t heard them talking about Farrah’s great-aunt. He was going to ask her to keep it to herself, but she was already interrogating Hunter.

“Do you have any family here, Agent Hunter?”

“Um, no, ma’am. A dear friend, but no family.”

“Then next week you will join us for dinner. And you will bring your ‘dear friend’ as well. Yes?”

Tom smiled down at her. The guy was taller than any of the Sokolovs, which now made sense considering he’d been in the NBA. “Yes, ma’am. If it’s not any trouble. I miss Sunday dinners with my family, and my friend just came back from the Middle East. She served four years and now she’ll be going to nursing school at UC Davis.”

“That is a good nursing program,” Irina declared. “My alma mater.” He’d put the tray down in the kitchen and she slipped her arm through Hunter’s. “You will tell me about your family. Please.”

Rafe smirked when Tom gave him a Help me look. “You’re on your own, pal.” But his smirk became a smile when he saw Mercy at the table. She was smiling back, which settled some of the worry swirling in his mind.

But then he saw Farrah chatting with Sasha, and remembered what was coming. He flicked a glance at his mother and saw she was giving Farrah a sad look of her own. Dammit. Rafe hoped she wasn’t going to let the cat out of the bag before Captain Holmes arrived, but his fears were put to rest when she met his eyes and gave him a brisk nod before cutting a generous slice of bird’s milk cake for Tom.