Chapter 5 - The Ledger in Trent’s Apartment
By Tuesday, the Velvet Room looked exactly as it always did.
That was the point.
Gabriel sat in his corner booth.
Macallan.
Two drops of water.
Charcoal suit.
Harper stood behind the bar.
No foundation covered her bruise.
Paul approached nervously.
“You sure?”
“No.”
“You can go home.”
“I know.”
Harper looked toward Gabriel.
“He told you to say that?”
Paul shook his head.
“Actually, he told me not to ask you anything.”
Harper smiled faintly.
“Sounds like him.”
The police had taken Harper’s statement.
Trent had been arrested after violating an emergency protective order by showing up at the hotel.
But before his arrest, he had made one call.
Victor Salerno.
Gabriel wanted Victor to believe Trent had warned him only about Harper.
Not the notebook.
Not Pier Fourteen.
Not the evidence.
At 10:14 p.m., Victor entered the Velvet Room.
Sixty-one.
Silver hair.
Expensive navy suit.
He kissed Gabriel on both cheeks.
“My boy.”
“Victor.”
“You look tired.”
“Busy week.”
Victor sat.
Harper approached.
“What can I get you?”
Victor glanced at her bruise.
His eyes lingered half a second too long.
“Rough neighborhood?”
Harper smiled politely.
“Something like that.”
“Bourbon.”
She turned.
Victor called after her.
“Harper.”
She stopped.
“I hear Trent misses you.”
Gabriel’s eyes lifted.
Harper turned slowly.
“How do you know Trent?”
Victor smiled.
“Small city.”
Gabriel swirled his drink.
“Not that small.”
Victor’s smile remained.
Harper walked away.
Under the bar, her hand trembled.
Paul whispered, “You okay?”
“Yes.”
She poured the bourbon.
At the booth, Victor leaned toward Gabriel.
“You have problems at the docks.”
“So I hear.”
“I could help.”
“You always do.”
Victor smiled.
“Your father trusted me.”
Gabriel’s expression remained neutral.
“So did I.”
The word did changed everything.
Victor heard it.
His smile disappeared.
Gabriel placed the black notebook on the table.
Victor stared at it.
“Recognize this?”
“No.”
“Interesting.”
Gabriel opened it.
“Because your initials appear seventeen times.”
Victor leaned back.
“G could mean anything.”
“Godfather?”
Victor’s face remained still.
Gabriel almost admired that.
Almost.
“You’re making a mistake,” Victor said.
“I thought so too.”
Gabriel turned the notebook.
“Then Marco found the bank accounts.”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“You had me investigated?”
“I had theft investigated.”
“You’re accusing family.”
“I’m accusing a thief.”
Victor looked toward Harper.
Understanding appeared.
“The waitress.”
Harper approached with his bourbon.
Victor smiled coldly.
“You should have minded your business.”
Harper placed the glass down.
“I tried that for three years.”
Victor’s hand moved beneath his jacket.
Three men immediately rose from nearby tables.
Gabriel didn’t move.
“Don’t.”
Victor froze.
The entire room fell silent.
Gabriel leaned forward.
“You came into my place with one man outside and another near the kitchen.”
Victor’s face changed.
Gabriel continued.
“Both work for me now.”
Victor stared.
“You think this ends with a notebook?”
“No.”
Gabriel looked toward the front entrance.
Two investigators entered with uniformed officers.
Victor’s confidence cracked.
“You called police?”
“I gave them evidence of financial crimes that don’t require explaining the rest of my life.”
Victor stood.
“You ungrateful bastard.”
Gabriel remained seated.
“My father trusted you.”
“He was weak.”
That landed.
Victor knew it immediately.
Gabriel stood slowly.
“My father treated you like a brother.”
“And I spent twenty years cleaning his messes.”
Harper watched Gabriel’s hands.
Steady.
“Then you stole from his son.”
“I built half of what you have!”
“And that made you believe you owned all of it.”
Victor pointed toward Harper.
“You’re throwing away family because some waitress got slapped around by an idiot?”
Gabriel’s expression turned cold.
Harper spoke before he could.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
She stepped forward.
“He’s ending this because you stole from him.”
Victor laughed.
“And you?”
Harper met his eyes.
“I’m just the person you didn’t think mattered enough to notice.”
The investigators approached.
Victor looked at Gabriel.
“This isn’t over.”
Gabriel glanced toward Harper.
“No.”
Then back to Victor.
May you like
“But your part is.”
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