Nikki exited the bathroom and sighed loudly when she saw Ashlyn sitting on the bed with her laptop. She had taken a long shower and rubbed her hair dry with a towel. "Please tell me you're not watching the video of Aurelia's death again," she growled.

Ashlyn looked up from the laptop and closed the lid. "No!"

"Ash," the officer sighed, frowning a little.

"No," the younger woman repeated and opened the laptop again, turning the screen to her sister. "I'm texting with Ma, Kate, Mike, and Maggie."

Nikki skimmed over the exchanged texts and couldn't help but smile. "To find a way to get Aurelia's body examined without the BPD getting sued?"

Ashlyn pulled the corners of her mouth down. "Or at least ensure you don't end up in an Italian jail. Ma will be joining us via video chat in five minutes."

"You don't think I can handle this on my own?"

Ashlyn sighed loudly and slumped her shoulders. "Nikki, you know I love you with all my heart, and I know you're just as good as Ma, Nick, and Kate at the job, but from what I've heard --"

"We need help on this one ... And people with more influence that I don't have."

"Exactly," Ashlyn agreed and then paused, lowering her brows. "Wait. What? No, I was thinking more about your team and you. I'm an aspiring history teacher who wanted to take a two-week trip to Italy with her big sister. I have absolutely nothing to do with murder, manslaughter, and all that shit!" She stood up from the bed wide-eyed and raised her hands protectively. "This isn't my world. This is the world of you and of Jane, Mike and of --"

"Hi, Ash," came a familiar voice from the laptop.

"Hey, Ma," Ashlyn replied in a singsong voice and sat back on the bed. She looked at the monitor, which showed Elizabeth's face, smiling.

Nikki rolled her eyes and sat on the edge of the bed next to her sister to see Elizabeth's face.

Maggie's chuckle could be heard in the background. The lieutenant tried to suppress a grin but failed. "Are you girls alright?"

Nikki pulled the corners of her mouth down. "It's been ... interesting three days in Italy."

"So I've heard," Elizabeth replied, raising a brow. "You had your wallet stolen?"

The officer looked at Ashlyn and lowered her brows. "Really?"

"What?" Ashlyn replied, lifting her shoulders. "Was I supposed to start with the fact that your wallet was stolen while a creepy man in black shadowed us for two days, who turned out to be a Swiss Guard sent by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to take over the Red Wedding case?"

"Yes," Elizabeth and Nikki said in unison, and Ashlyn gasped in disgust, throwing her hands in the air.

"You guys can kiss my ass!" she muttered, getting up from the bed.

Elizabeth grinned broadly, shook her head, and looked at her older daughter closely. "Are you okay?"

"I had a different idea of a vacation," the officer replied. "I think the Vatican was hoping for you as the lead investigator rather than an inexperienced BPD officer."

Elizabeth nodded slowly, licking her lips and slightly leaning into the camera. "Is that exactly what Adami said?"

Nikki paused, thoughtfully narrowed her eyes, and pursed her lips. "Not in those words." She paused again and drew her brows together. "How do you know the Italian investigator's name is Adami?"

Elizabeth paused, squinted upward for a moment, then pursed her lips. "Ashlyn mentioned his name because she finds Adami attractive?"

It didn't escape Nikki's notice that her mother was asking her a question rather than giving a concrete answer. And besides, she knew Ashlyn hadn't even mentioned to her that she found Adami attractive. "No, she didn't. What's going on, ma?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and licked her lips. "Ash mentioned Adami, who already contacted me yesterday. That's how he knew you and your sister are currently in Italy."

"Because of the blood wedding," Nikki murmured more to herself, and the lieutenant nodded in agreement.

"In case you missed it, Nick, Maggie, and I are still in Boston. It just so happened that you both traveled to Florence."

"Did you also arrange for my wallet to be stolen?"

"No," Maggie said, her face appearing over Elizabeth's shoulder with a broad grin. "No, you managed that all by yourself; your mother had nothing to do with it."

"Great," the young woman growled and closed her eyes briefly, "thanks, Mom." She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. "So what now?"

Maggie raised her eyebrows and decided it would be better if her wife took over the conversation again.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and raised her eyebrows briefly. "Now, you're going to lead the investigation with Adami until we get to you."

"I thought Kate would arrive in Florence like Mike tomorrow." Nikki's eyebrows drew together as Elizabeth pursed her lips suddenly. "What?"

"Her arrival might be a little delayed," the lieutenant said, making a face.

"What, why?"

"Well, Mike had to find a replacement for himself first, and Kate --" Elizabeth paused and lifted her shoulders. "Kate's just Kate, indispensable to the FBI and BPD when it counts."

Nikki closed her eyes momentarily and ran a hand over her forehead. "Does that mean I'm on my own for now?"

"For now," Elizabeth said slowly, frowning, "yes. You can do this, Nikki."

The young woman licked her lips and shook her head slowly. "I don't know, ma. When I got to work on a big case, I took the opportunity and almost blew that case."

Elizabeth took another deep breath and leaned forward a little, a slight frown. "The emphasis is on almost, Veronica. We all made big mistakes in the God of Blood case. I wouldn't have told Adami that you could investigate this case with him if I didn't trust you to do it." She paused and nodded slowly. "You can do this, Nikki; I know you can."

The young woman took a deep breath and tried to smile. Then, she ended the conversation by closing the laptop and groaning loudly.

Ashlyn looked at her sister long and hard. "So what now?"

The officer took a deep breath and raised his eyebrows briefly. "Now, you and I will get something to eat. And then --" She paused and chewed on the inside of her cheek. "And then we'll see."