I nod. “And Eva’s at The Manor too. She’s actually really happy there. I think so at least.”

“I’m glad. Your mother?”

“I haven’t seen her.” Silence. “Dad, did you help Hazel run away?”

He is obviously surprised by my question. “Is she safe?”

“I think so. Santiago knows where she is. He said she has a little boy.”

“Michael. He’s a good kid.”

“You know?”

“I helped her, Ivy. You were too young to know anything about it.”

“You helped her run away?”

“And stay away. It’s very hard for a single mom out there. I’m sure you can imagine.”

“Why?”

“I wouldn’t force her to marry someone she didn’t love, and the fact that she was pregnant with another man’s child, well, that changed things. At least she came to her senses about that one, though.”

“But The Society…”

“Does not come before my family. I’ve made that mistake more than once.”

“Abel’s mom?”

He nods and tries to smile, but I see something is worrying him. “Among other things.”

“I need to ask you something, Dad.” I glance at the door, not sure how much time I’ll have.

“Go on.”

“What happened with Santiago? You were like a father to him. I remember that. I remember how much you loved him.”

“I love him still even if he is misguided.”

“What happened?”

“Do you know he paid me a visit last night?”

“Last night?”

My father nods. “It’s good he did. Good he told me about the poisoning. But also, about what Abel tried to do to your baby.” He quiets again, looking away from me momentarily, any pretense of a smile fading. “I did wrong by that boy. It’s not his fault.”

“Abel’s a grown man.”

“If I’d given him half the attention I gave Santiago, if I’d put my family first, then things would be different now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been thinking about this all night. Trying to piece the puzzle together. I should have known better than to trust him blindly, although it’s what he needed. His father’s trust. But when those names came up, when ties to the Grigori mafia family were mentioned. The De La Cruz Cartel—”

“What? Mafia? Cartel?”

He looks at me, and I get the feeling he’s considering how much he’s already said.

“What are you talking about, Dad?”

“They’re not associated with IVI. Not the Cartel and not Grigori. IVI, as it stood, would never have accepted the likes of them into the fold.” He stops, shakes his head. “I should have looked into it myself first and verified things. I would have known if I had, and many lives would have been saved, including Santiago’s father and brother.”

“I’m sorry, you lost me.”