The plan had been Athena's, and it was freaking crazy. So crazy that they couldn't talk in the deli. Athena texted Malyssa to meet in her home and greeted her with a lemonade pitcher and the start of an accusation.

"I know why you figured it out before me."

"Figured what out?" Malyssa asked as she came into the kitchen and put a massive saddlebag on the bar counter against the window. She accepted the glass gratefully when Athena offered it. It was eighty-four degrees outside, which was basically as hot as the fires of hell to a lifelong San Franciscan. Yesterday had only gotten to sixty-five.

"Why the mafia are sealing up corpses. To bring them back to life if need be. I know why you figured it out before me. Or anyone else, anyone on the police force, speculating in the news media, bloggers, conspiracy theorists, you name it."

Malyssa tried to change the direction of the conversation. "So, you believe me about that, eh? Can we get started on Plan B then, since Plan A of actually solving Mayor Banikas's murder and putting the criminals responsible behind bars turns out to be impossible?"

Athena ignored her. "You figured it out they could bring the bodies back because you can do it too."

"Hey now—" Malyssa started to reply.

"You can bring people back from the dead, can't you! I just know it. You should call me the detective because I have you figured out. And I came up with a fantastic plan that will solve all of our problems. It might sound crazy, but I can't stop thinking about it, and I know I can make it work. We can take down the entire mob, probably the Andreou family as well. And then I can disappear with my boyfriend, Harry. Detective, I want you to kill me. And then bring me back. And frame the mafia for my murder. This is such a good idea."

Detective Fog went still as a statue, her eyes open, then she blinked several times, and the glass of lemonade fell from her hand and shattered, glass, ice, and liquid sunlight cascading over the wood floor.

"Oh, darn," said Detective Fog.

And then she asked, "How will killing you bring down the mafia?"

"How do you think the Sigler Mafia would react if they thought the Andreous made a high profile hit that was set up to frame the Siglers, or at least make it look as if the mob is responsible, getting up law enforcement against them for the second time this year?"

"So Sigler and Zane know that none of theirs killed you, and they figure the Andreous did it and made it look like it was the Sigler Mafia. That would start a gang war. So what? That's only going to cost a few button man lives. They'll recover."

"Add to that, framing someone specific for my murder, perhaps someone who left hairs at the scene of the Banikas crime."

"Multi-pronged, still gives us bottom-feeders and not that many before they arrange a peace and go back to business."

"We fan the flames, keep the feud going, keep the body count high."

"You and I know it won't be worth it unless we get the bosses, all three of them, plus dozens of high ups who can take the throne should it be vacated."

"The only way I can see this working is to get someone to talk. Give up Mena, Hugo, Sophia, everyone important in the chain of command. But mobsters never talk to law enforcement; they just aren't going to give up the boss. You would have to get them to turn on one another and then break the first law of mafia life, and that will not be easy."

"A schism," said Athena. "We split the mob down the middle, get them to turn against one another, pick a side. Sigler or Zane. Then someone goes away for my murder. Hugo's daughter. Thalia. She gives up Sigler and everyone on Sigler's side that she doesn't like. Now, that is not good enough because it leaves Hugo Zane and the Andreou family to fill in the vacuum of power. Even if Sigler gives up the rest of the Zane faction, that leaves the Andreous. That's why we need the gang war, but we need the targets to be bosses. The leaders need to be abolished."

"So step one," said Fog, "murder Senator Athena Rex. Step two: make it look like the Andreous are trying to pin the murder on the mob. Step three: Frame Thalia Zane for the murder. Plant her hair and wedding ring on the body, and hide an unregistered murder weapon at her place, with her fingerprints on it.

"Direct the cops to the evidence, and when they arrest her, it's time for step four: Athena appears to the mob. Let them think the Andreous brought her back to life long enough for the mafia to take out the Andreou family, then step five: Athena tells Zane that it was Mena who framed Thalia for the murder. Pass that information to Thalia as well.

"Hugo won't believe it, but Thalia will come to, and Hugo will take the precaution of fortifying his people, strengthening his hold on his faction in case Mena makes a move for power. When Thalia cracks, she'll rat on Mena.

"When Mena goes away, her people will kill Zane's people. The Andreous will join in as well, creating as much carnage as they can, and then you'll come in, Athena, and tidy up everyone who is left alive. Kill the last of them."

She said it as if she had come up with the plan herself. But that couldn't be right, could it?

Thank you for reading Detective Fog. If you're looking for more of the Constellations series to read, the books can be read in any order. Check out Stars Rise to see how the stories intersect. I am so grateful for your support and your stars, friends