"Would he come if you asked him to? What if you told him...?" Nate stared at the park. Another few beats passed before Nate focused on Jessica. "I need to formulate a plan, but right now, can you tell him you're going out of town for the weekend? Maybe tell him something like Hunter wants to see him, maybe next week. Maybe you could do it this weekend, but you're getting out of town. Something like that."

Jessica narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"We need to plant the idea that you won't be in White Plains."

Marisa tilted her head. "What are you thinking?"

"That I need my friends, and you don't want to tell Garrison."

Brady. Of course. But how would it work? She wanted to question Nate, but first things first. They needed to confirm their suspicions.

Jessica watched the exchange suspiciously. When both Marisa and Nate turned to her, she said, "What exactly do you want me to say?"

Marisa spoke. "Tell him Hunter misses him, and see if he might be able to get together with him next week. Say he'd do it this weekend, but you guys are going out of town. It doesn't matter if he can do it or not."

"But what about the out-of-town thing?"

Nate took a deep breath and leaned toward Jessica. "Are you willing to help us save Ana?"

Jessica swallowed. "I mean, yeah. Of course. I just... I have to protect Hunter."

"Richard loves Hunter," Marisa said. "He's his brother. And he has nothing against you."

"Not now. But what if he figures out I helped you?"

"He'll go to prison," Nate said. "It won't matter."

"Assuming what you're planning works. But what if he gets away?"

Marisa looked at Nate, because that was the question that had been niggling at the edges of her mind since they got here. What if it didn't work out? Ana would die. And what would happen to Jessica? Would drawing her in put her life in danger? Her son's?

Nate kept his focus on Jessica. "If he gets away, he'll know we know who he is. He'll run. And we'll get the FBI involved. They can protect you."

He didn't look at Marisa when he made that statement. Fortunately, neither did Jessica, or the woman might've seen her skepticism before Marisa had the opportunity to hide it.

Jessica nodded. "I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it."

Tears prickled Marisa's eyes, and she turned away. Finally, someone who could lead them to the kidnapper, and she wouldn't help.

Nate's hand settled over Marisa's, but she didn't look at either of them.

"Can you at least call him?" Nate asked. "That way, we can confirm it's him. And you can plant the idea that you're going away for the weekend. If you do decide to help us—"

"I can do that."