Chapter 7 - Gabriel’s GambleGabriel had not betrayed us.
That was Matteo’s belief.
Not hope.
Belief.
For all Matteo’s suspicion of the world, he trusted his brother completely.
“He went with Crane for a reason,” Matteo said.
“What reason?”
“I don’t know.”
“That doesn’t concern you?”
“It terrifies me.”
That was as close to panic as Matteo came.
Rebecca explained that Crane had spent years erasing evidence for Bellini in exchange for money and political influence.
With Vincent arrested, Crane faced exposure.
He needed leverage.
Gabriel might have gone with him to gather evidence.
Or he might have walked directly into a trap.
We found the first clue in Gabriel’s hospital room.
One word scratched into the back of a discharge form.
REDHOOK.
Daniel traced Crane’s government vehicle to Brooklyn.
We followed at a distance.
The warehouse was near the waterfront.
Apparently criminals in New York had a shared appreciation for dramatic industrial real estate.
“I’m beginning to hate warehouses,” I muttered.
Matteo looked at me.
“You should be at the house.”
“You should stop repeating yourself.”
Rebecca smiled from the front seat.
“I like her.”
Matteo sighed.
“So does everyone.”
I looked away before he saw my face.
We watched Crane enter a building.
Gabriel was with him.
Alive.
Then another vehicle arrived.
Lorenzo stepped out.
Matteo’s entire body stiffened.
“Uncle Lorenzo.”
Rebecca reached for his arm.
“Wait.”
“I’ve waited fourteen years.”
“And that is why you’re dangerous right now.”
Matteo looked at her hand.
She released him.
Inside the building, Gabriel was trying to force Crane and Lorenzo into the same room.
We learned later he had contacted Crane pretending he possessed another copy of the ledger.
He told Lorenzo the same thing.
Gabriel’s plan was simple.
Get both men talking.
Record everything.
It was reckless.
Brilliant.
And very Gabriel.
We listened through a device Daniel placed near the loading dock.
Crane spoke first.
“Bellini is finished.”
Lorenzo answered.
“Good.”
“You’ll go down with him.”
“I’ve expected that for fourteen years.”
“Then why come?”
“To finish what Vittorio started.”
Matteo closed his eyes briefly.
Crane laughed.
“You expect me to believe your conscience suddenly appeared?”
“No.”
Lorenzo’s voice became quieter.
“I expect you to believe I’m tired.”
Gabriel interrupted.
“My brother thinks you killed our father.”
“I know.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did you steal from him?”
“Yes.”
“Did you lie to him?”
“Yes.”
“Did you help Vincent?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“But I did not kill my brother.”
Crane’s voice sharpened.
“You might want to stop confessing.”
Lorenzo laughed.
“You’re frightened.”
Then came words we desperately needed.
“You altered the brake report, Samuel. You erased the camera footage. Vincent paid for Vittorio’s murder, and you made sure nobody investigated.”
Silence.
Crane said, “You have no proof.”
Gabriel answered.
“We do now.”
Everything exploded.
A gunshot.
Matteo ran.
So did Daniel.
Rebecca and I followed despite direct orders not to.
Inside, Gabriel was behind a steel beam.
Lorenzo had been shot in the shoulder.
Crane fired toward the exit.
Daniel returned fire.
Matteo reached Gabriel.
“You idiot.”
Gabriel grinned.
“You’re welcome.”
Federal agents arrived moments later.
Not Crane’s unit.
Rebecca had contacted an independent internal-affairs team.
Crane was arrested.
This time, legitimately.
Lorenzo survived.
Three weeks later, he testified before a grand jury.
Vincent Bellini was charged with murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, money laundering, and several other crimes.
Crane faced federal corruption charges.
The story filled newspapers for weeks.
But for me, the most important moment happened quietly.
No cameras.
No investigators.
No attorneys.
Just Matteo and me in his kitchen at two in the morning.
My ankle had healed.
Most of my bruises had faded.
I was making tea.
Matteo walked in wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt.
For a wealthy executive, he looked surprisingly human at two a.m.
“Can’t sleep?” I asked.
“No.”
“Nightmares?”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
I appreciated that he didn’t lie.
I handed him tea.
He leaned against the counter.
“You’re quitting.”
It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“When?”
“Friday.”
“Why?”
I smiled.
“Because it’s difficult to professionally clean someone’s office after watching him punch three kidnappers.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
“The third one fell.”
“After you hit him.”
“Technical distinction.”
I laughed.
Matteo stared.
“What?”
“I don’t think I’ve heard you laugh before.”
“You’re not very funny.”
His mouth twitched.
Then his expression turned serious.
“What will you do?”
“I don’t know.”
“You could work with the foundation.”
“What foundation?”
He looked almost embarrassed.
“My father created a charitable foundation. I’m reopening it.”
“For what?”
“Victims of financial exploitation. Witness protection assistance. Domestic abuse shelters.”
My breath caught at the last one.
He had noticed more than the bruises.
“I’m not a charity case.”
“I know.”
“Then why me?”
“Because you understand what it feels like when someone powerful makes you believe you have no choices.”
The kitchen became very quiet.
“I could use someone who would tell me when I’m wrong,” he added.
“That sounds like full-time work.”
“It probably is.”
I smiled.
“So this is a job interview?”
“No.”
“What is it?”
Matteo stepped closer.
My heartbeat changed.
“This is me trying very hard not to make another decision for you.”
His voice dropped.
“I want you to stay in my life, Elena.”
I looked up at him.
“As an employee?”
“No.”
“As what?”
He took a slow breath.
“I haven’t figured out how to ask that without sounding like a man who negotiates contracts for a living.”
“Try.”
Matteo hesitated.
Then quietly said, “Would you let me take you to dinner?”
I smiled.
“One dinner.”
“One.”
“No security team at the table.”
“Across the street.”
“Matteo.”
“Half a block.”
I laughed.
“Deal.”
His smile appeared fully.
It transformed him.
Then my phone rang.
Rebecca.
I answered.
Her first sentence erased the moment.
“Elena, we found something your mother left behind.”
“What?”
“A recording.”
My heart stopped.
“For me?”
Rebecca paused.
May you like
“No.”
“For Matteo.”
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