Episode 3 of *Hotel Costiera* kicks off with Daniel springing his friend and fellow Marine, April Mackenzie, from a tight spot. The Italian cop, Maurizio, feeling indebted to Daniel, vows to put him in touch with Bruno, who's currently cooling his heels in custody for gun possession.
Mackenzie is a whirlwind of noise, cheer, friendliness, and mischief. She hits it off instantly with Daniel’s team, but she’s also in a bind. Her one-night fling, Ferdinando, has made off with her pink bracelet—a piece of gear that’s actually a military-grade cyber decryption tool.
Tancredi and Bigne hit the bar to track down the thief’s name. Tancredi, as thick as ever, but Bigne’s firearm does the talking, and soon they’re getting the lowdown.
Next up, Daniel and Mackenzie pay a visit to Ciro, an old associate from their shady days. He points them in the direction of Ferdinando’s antique shop.
But their luck takes a hit when a car starts tailing them. A wild chase ensues, culminating in a brawl before they manage to ditch their pursuers.
Cornered, Daniel confronts Mackenzie, who spills the beans: they’re the ones who bought the bracelet in the first place. They’re worried she’ll bolt, seeing as they’ve already paid her an advance. Desperate for cash, Mackenzie swears this’ll be her last rodeo selling state secrets.
Daniel caves, and the team reconvenes at Ferdinando’s shop. But trouble’s never far behind. Ferdinando’s wife—a loan shark with a murderous streak—has laid claim to the bracelet. He’s too terrified to ask for it back.
Yet Ferdinando offers a lifeline: an invite to Teresa’s weekly card game.
Tancredi is beside himself with excitement at the chance to show off his skills, but Daniel warns him to keep his head down. The pair arrives at the game, posing as wealthy American tourists.
Teresa, sizing up Daniel, is immediately smitten and beckons them to her table. And there, draped around her wrist, is the bracelet. Daniel, quick on his feet, lets Tancredi win big. Impressed, Teresa extends another invitation.
There's no real need for such elaborate measures, since Daniel manages to slip in unnoticed once everyone has cleared out. Unfortunately for him, Teresa wakes up and, under the mistaken impression that he's there for a romantic rendezvous, jumps to the wrong conclusion. While Daniel is busy pilfering the bracelet, he's far from pleased about the fact that he had to go to bed with her just to get his hands on it.
Meanwhile, Mackenzie, in a drunken stupor, starts pestering the team for stories about Daniel. She lets slip that he's fiercely loyal and was kicked out of somewhere, but she conveniently leaves out the reason why. As soon as Daniel shows up, she drops the bombshell that the buyers have assigned her a second mission as well, much to his chagrin. Once Mackenzie has passed out from the alcohol, Daniel takes matters into his own hands by repaying the advance money and calling off the sale.
Come morning, Daniel has the military police haul Mackenzie in for disorderly conduct. She's absolutely livid, but Daniel is convinced that it's the only way to get her to straighten up. With a sense of finality, he then hurls the bracelet into the sea.
Shifting gears back to the Alice case, Daniel discovers that Bruno has been released from custody. He makes his way to Bruno's place and strikes up a friendship with the boy's grandmother. Eventually, when Bruno makes an appearance, Daniel seizes the opportunity to inquire about Alice's whereabouts.
