Chapter 17
“We are not solving this on a dock.”
“I did not suggest a dock.”
“You looked toward the lake while saying his name.”
Vincent cleared his throat.
“Detective Hayes has developed an unfortunate familiarity with symbolism.”
“We confront him in the boardroom,” Hayes said. “Cameras running. Counsel present. Officers nearby.”
Luca stared at the warrant.
“Fifteen years.”
No one answered.
Gabriel had carried Luca’s father’s coffin.
Held Sophia the morning she was born.
Sat beside Elena’s hospital bed while machines stopped one by one.
Betrayal does not hurt according to the size of the lie.
It hurts according to the amount of truth once placed around it.
The boardroom smelled of old leather and coffee.
Gabriel entered at four.
He saw Hayes first.
Then the original inspection report.
Then me.
His face changed only after he noticed the certified letter beside my phone.
“You brought her into this?”
Luca sat at the head of the table.
“Hannah brought herself.”
Gabriel looked toward Vincent.
“You investigated me without notice.”
“Yes,” Vincent said.
“I am head of security.”
“Which is why notice would have been professionally uncreative.”
Hayes activated the recorder.
“Mr. Costa, this interview is voluntary. You are free to leave, though officers will execute the search warrant if you do.”
Gabriel’s eyes remained on Luca.
“You believe I caused the bridge collapse.”
“I want you to explain why your credential altered the inspection report.”
“The city account was shared.”
“Device log places the session on your laptop.”
Gabriel’s throat moved.
“You had access to my laptop.”
“The serial number appears in the network record,” Hayes said. “No inference required.”
Gabriel sat.
For a few seconds, he looked like the man everyone trusted.
Then exhaustion entered him.
“Northline had no liquidity.”
May you like
Luca did not move.
“Say the rest.”
