Chapter 4 - NO LOOSE ENDS
The phrase belonged to someone Gabriel knew.
Not because it was unique.
Because Gabriel had heard it two nights earlier.
At a private meeting in the back room of Moretti Imports.
His cousin Carlo Moretti had been arguing about a warehouse accountant named Felix Rourke.
Felix had discovered missing money.
Carlo wanted him frightened.
Gabriel refused.
“No civilians.”
Carlo said:
“He knows too much.”
Gabriel answered:
“Then fix the books.”
Carlo leaned back.
“No loose ends.”
Gabriel ended the meeting.
At the time, the phrase meant nothing beyond Carlo being theatrical.
Now it returned in a hospital room beside his child.
Gabriel called Carlo.
No answer.
Vincent did not like that.
“He was at the club tonight.”
“Who saw him?”
“Half the room.”
“Did he leave?”
“Maybe.”
Gabriel’s businesses were not clean.
Some were legitimate.
Some existed in the gray.
Some were criminal.
He had spent years pretending boundaries made him different from men like his father.
No narcotics.
No trafficking.
No violence around children.
No hospitals.
No families.
Rules.
He thought rules made brutality manageable.
Daniel lying in that bed exposed the lie.
A criminal system does not become safe because one boss keeps a list.
Someone always decides the rules are negotiable.
Gabriel looked at Vincent.
“Find Carlo.”
Vincent nodded.
Then Elena spoke from behind them.
“Who’s Carlo?”
Gabriel turned.
“You shouldn’t be listening.”
“You’re standing ten feet from me.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“Elena—”
She looked at him.
“Your men already pointed guns at me tonight. I’m not impressed anymore.”
Gabriel almost told her to leave.
Then stopped.
She had risked her life for Daniel.
She had the right to know enough to protect herself.
“Carlo is family.”
Elena understood immediately.
“That bad?”
May you like
Gabriel looked through the glass at Daniel.
“Worse.”
