Chapter 6 - The Price of Becoming Free
The meeting took place in a conference room with no windows.
Gabriel hated rooms without exits.
Across the table sat 3 federal prosecutors, 2 investigators, and Gabriel’s attorney.
Hazel sat beside him.
Not behind.
Beside.
Gabriel placed the flash drive on the table.
The lead prosecutor, Dana Reeves, looked at it.
“What do you want?”
“My people protected.”
Reeves almost laughed.
“You’re hardly in a position to dictate terms.”
Gabriel leaned back.
“You’ve been trying to dismantle my family for 15 years. That drive does it before lunch.”
Her expression changed.
“What else?”
“My legitimate employees keep their jobs.”
“And you?”
Gabriel glanced at Hazel.
“Whatever happens.”
Hazel turned toward him.
That had not been discussed.
Reeves studied him.
“You’re willing to cooperate fully?”
“Yes.”
“Testify?”
“If necessary.”
“Against Victor Rossi?”
“Yes.”
“Against your own organization?”
Gabriel paused.
“Yes.”
The word cost him his old life.
It also gave him something unexpected.
Relief.
Within hours, federal agents began moving.
Victor’s network collapsed rapidly once the evidence was authenticated.
Judges resigned.
Police officers were arrested.
Dominic Vale disappeared.
But Rebecca remained missing.
Then Hazel remembered something.
“When we were children, Victor owned a cabin near Lake George.”
Gabriel turned.
“How do you know?”
“My mother mentioned it.”
Federal agents searched property records.
The cabin belonged to a shell corporation.
They moved that night.
Gabriel was ordered to stay behind.
He ignored the order.
Hazel tried to stop him.
“Rebecca is my sister.”
“And Victor is my problem.”
“You don’t have to fix everything yourself.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you going?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Because if something happens to you while I sit here, I’ll spend the rest of my life wishing I hadn’t.”
Hazel’s expression softened.
“I’m not going.”
“You’re not?”
“No.”
She glanced toward Eli.
“I finally learned something too.”
“What?”
“Running toward danger isn’t always bravery.”
Gabriel nodded.
Before leaving, Hazel touched his cheek.
It was the first time she had done so.
Gabriel froze.
“Come back,” she whispered.
No one had said those words to him in years.
“I will.”
The cabin was surrounded shortly before dawn.
Victor was inside.
So was Rebecca.
The standoff lasted 3 hours.
Victor eventually emerged holding a gun against Rebecca’s neck.
Gabriel stepped into view.
Victor smiled.
“There’s my favorite nephew.”
“Let her go.”
“You destroyed everything.”
“No. You did.”
Victor laughed.
“You think cooperating makes you clean?”
“No.”
That answer surprised him.
Gabriel continued.
“I’ll live with what I’ve done.”
Victor’s smile faded.
“But I’m done letting dead men decide what I become.”
Rebecca suddenly slammed her head backward into Victor’s face.
He stumbled.
Federal agents moved.
A gunshot cracked.
Gabriel flinched.
Victor collapsed.
Alive, but wounded.
Rebecca ran.
It was over.
Or Gabriel thought it was.
Three months later, Gabriel entered federal court and pleaded guilty to racketeering-related financial offenses connected to businesses he had controlled.
His cooperation eliminated more serious charges tied to acts prosecutors could not establish he had personally ordered.
The judge sentenced him to 18 months in federal custody.
Hazel sat in the courtroom.
Gabriel did not look at her when marshals approached.
He could not.
Then her voice came from behind him.
“Gabriel.”
He turned.
She was crying.
He hated seeing it.
“I’ll be okay.”
“You’d better be.”
He smiled faintly.
Then Eli stood on the bench.
“Mr. Gabriel!”
Everyone turned.
The boy waved.
“I saved your room!”
Gabriel laughed.
Actually laughed.
The marshal beside him looked confused.
Gabriel looked at Hazel.
She mouthed:
Come home.
For the first time in his life, Gabriel understood that home was not the mansion.
It was not Chicago.
It was not the Rossi name.
May you like
Home was the woman who had once scrubbed blood from his rug at 3:00 a.m.
And the child who had saved him a room.
