Chapter 6 - The Night Gabriel Chose a Side
Pier 19 was nearly empty.
Rain swept across shipping containers.
Gabriel arrived with Marco and two men.
Frankie stood beside him.
“You stay behind me.”
“No.”
“Francesca.”
“You knew what you were getting when you told me to come.”
“I specifically told you not to come.”
“And yet here we are.”
Gabriel looked at Marco.
“She does this constantly.”
Marco nodded.
“I’ve noticed.”
Russo appeared beneath the warehouse lights.
Leo stood nearby.
Terrified but alive.
“Gabriel.”
“Anthony.”
Russo laughed.
“You brought the mechanic.”
“She brought herself.”
Frankie glanced at Gabriel.
That mattered more than she expected.
Russo held up documents.
“The expansion project dies tonight.”
Gabriel barely looked at them.
“No.”
“You need those properties.”
“I did.”
Russo frowned.
Gabriel continued.
“I changed the routing plan this afternoon.”
Frankie looked at him.
“What?”
Gabriel’s eyes remained on Russo.
“The Bellini garage stays.”
Russo stared.
“You’re giving up twelve million dollars in development?”
“No.”
Gabriel smiled coldly.
“I bought the warehouse east of the rail yard.”
Russo’s face changed.
Frankie understood.
“You knew he’d make a move.”
“Yesterday.”
Russo looked around.
“This was a setup.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Yes.”
Russo grabbed Leo and dragged him forward.
Frankie stepped toward them.
“Let him go.”
“Your brother caused this.”
“No.”
Frankie’s voice hardened.
“My brother caused plenty.”
She looked at Leo.
“And he’ll spend years fixing it.”
Then she looked at Russo.
“But you made your choices.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Russo stared at Gabriel.
“You called police?”
“Financial crimes division.”
Gabriel adjusted his cuff.
“You used my logistics company to move money, Anthony. You forged credit authorizations and falsified shipping maintenance reports.”
Russo’s face drained.
“You don’t involve cops.”
“I involve whoever is useful.”
“You’re finished.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
“No.”
His voice became quiet.
“You are.”
Russo released Leo.
Marco pulled him away.
Minutes later, Frankie stood beneath the warehouse awning while officers took Russo into custody.
Leo approached her.
“Frankie.”
She looked at him.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“Can I come home?”
“No.”
His face fell.
“But you can come to work tomorrow.”
Leo blinked.
“Six a.m.”
“That early?”
Frankie stared.
He quickly nodded.
“Six is good.”
Leo walked away.
Gabriel joined her.
“You gave him another chance.”
“One.”
“He’ll probably waste it.”
“Probably.”
Gabriel looked out at the rain.
“People occasionally surprise us.”
Frankie looked at him.
“Yes.”
May you like
“They do.”
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