Chapter 5 - Rosa’s Last Secret
Victor and the corrupt guard were removed from Gabriel’s organization.
Quietly.
No spectacle.
No public revenge.
Gabriel wanted evidence more than blood.
Financial records exposed everything.
Payments.
False companies.
Messages connecting Victor to Paulie’s poisoning.
The plan had been simple: destabilize Gabriel, turn his captains against him, and take control while he appeared too frightened and weak to lead.
Three days later, Gabriel entered the kitchen and found Norah packing.
“What are you doing?”
“Going home.”
“No.”
She continued folding clothes.
“You found the people responsible.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re safe.”
“It means I’m not your responsibility.”
Gabriel leaned against the doorway.
“You could stay.”
Norah looked at him.
“As what?”
He had no answer.
She smiled slightly.
“That’s what I thought.”
Gabriel glanced at her nursing textbook.
“Your exam is next month.”
“Yes.”
“I could help.”
“I know.”
“And you’re still going to say no.”
“Yes.”
“Stubborn.”
“You survived eight days without eating because you were afraid of a sandwich.”
“That was different.”
“It really wasn’t.”
He almost laughed.
Then Norah pulled something from her bag.
An old photograph.
Gabriel froze.
“Where did you get that?”
“After Rosa died, the landlord cleared her apartment. My mother saved a box because she thought someone might eventually come looking.”
Gabriel took the photograph.
Rosa stood beside a younger Gabriel.
He couldn’t have been older than seventeen.
“She kept this beside her bed,” Norah said.
Gabriel stared at it.
“I thought she hated me.”
“Why?”
“I left.”
Norah sat beside him.
“She talked about you constantly.”
Gabriel looked up.
“What did she say?”
“That her son was too smart for the Narrows.”
His eyes dropped.
“She also said you were an idiot.”
Gabriel laughed.
A genuine laugh.
Norah smiled.
“That sounds more accurate.”
“She said you thought becoming powerful meant never needing anybody.”
Gabriel became quiet.
Norah continued.
“She disagreed.”
“What else?”
“She said someday you’d get tired of fighting the whole world.”
Gabriel rubbed his thumb over the photograph.
“And?”
“She hoped someone would be around to feed you when you did.”
He closed his eyes.
For several seconds, the feared man who controlled half the city simply sat in silence.
Then he handed the photograph back.
Norah shook her head.
“It’s yours.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“No.”
“Why?”
“My mother gave you something.”
He nodded toward the picture.
“That means you keep it.”
Norah studied him.
“Gabriel.”
“Yes?”
“I’m still leaving.”
“I know.”
“And you’re going to eat.”
He sighed.
“Yes.”
“Real meals.”
“Yes.”
“Three times a day.”
“Now you’re abusing your authority.”
“I don’t have authority.”
“You certainly act like you do.”
Norah lifted her suitcase.
Gabriel took it from her.
“I’ll drive you.”
“You have drivers.”
“I know.”
“Then why—”
“Because I want to.”
May you like
This time, Norah didn’t argue.
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