Chapter 7 - The Second Reservation
We decided not to give Gabriel the real ledger.
We also decided not to hide.
The exchange location arrived at noon.
A ballroom inside the abandoned Marquette Hotel.
Closed for renovation.
Gabriel had selected a place with dozens of entrances.
Bad for us.
Good for him.
Dante wanted armed men everywhere.
Elena objected.
I proposed something different.
A reservation.
Again.
Gabriel had built his entire scheme around knowing where Dante would be.
So we would give him exactly that.
At 3:00 p.m., I used Costa Holdings’ compromised travel system to create another hotel booking.
One suite.
Chicago.
Dante Costa.
Tessa Hayes.
Same room.
Same bed configuration.
Same note:
Mr. and Mrs. Costa.
Dante looked at the screen.
“You’re enjoying this too much.”
“I’m reclaiming the format.”
The booking was fake.
But attached to it was a hidden tracking document created by federal investigators.
Anyone opening the internal confirmation outside Costa systems would reveal network information.
At 3:17, somebody opened it.
At 3:19, again.
Location:
A warehouse office near the Chicago River.
Owned by a company linked to Gabriel.
We had him.
But evidence of computer access was not enough for the larger conspiracy.
We needed the ledger exchange.
Gabriel had to incriminate himself.
Elena volunteered.
Dante said no.
She stared at him.
He closed his eyes.
Then corrected:
“I don’t want you to.”
Better.
“I know,” Elena said.
“But I’m going.”
He nodded.
Painfully.
At 11:40 p.m., Elena entered the Marquette ballroom carrying a duplicate ledger.
Federal teams watched from adjacent structures.
Dante and I remained in a surveillance van.
He bounced one knee.
I had never seen him do that.
“You can stop pretending you’re calm.”
“I am calm.”
“Your leg is trying to escape.”
He stopped.
At 11:56, Gabriel arrived.
Sixty-two.
Silver hair.
Long coat.
He looked enough like Dante’s father to make the resemblance cruel.
He entered alone.
Or appeared to.
“Elena.”
“Uncle.”
“You made this difficult.”
“You sold our family for twelve years.”
Gabriel smiled.
“I sold information. Your father sold fear. Dante sells legitimacy. Every Costa has a product.”
Dante’s jaw tightened.
Excellent recording.
Elena placed the ledger on a table.
“Why the Mellas?”
“Convenient.”
“Why Tessa?”
Gabriel laughed.
In the van, Dante went still.
“Because your brother is predictable about everyone except her.”
Elena said nothing.
Gabriel continued.
“Dante would sacrifice ten businesses before allowing someone to touch that woman.”
I looked straight ahead.
Dante did too.
Awkward.
Gabriel picked up the ledger.
Then frowned.
Wrong paper.
Wrong binding.
He knew.
“This is a copy.”
Elena stepped backward.
Gabriel’s expression changed.
“You brought police.”
He reached inside his coat.
Dante was out of the van before anyone stopped him.
“Damn it.”
I followed as far as command would allow.
Agents entered.
Gabriel ran through a service corridor.
Elena moved away safely.
Dante pursued.
Of course he did.
The building’s electricity died.
Darkness.
Then gunfire.
Two shots.
My heart stopped.
Radio traffic exploded.
“Costa separated.”
“Suspect moving west.”
“Officer down?”
“Negative.”
I stood frozen beside the command vehicle.
Then my phone rang.
Dante.
I answered.
“Where are you?”
His breathing was heavy.
“Third floor.”
“Stop chasing him.”
“He has Elena.”
My blood went cold.
Gabriel had doubled back.
Grabbed Elena near the service stairs.
Now Dante was following.
“Location?”
“Old presidential suite.”
Of course.
Everything returned to hotel rooms.
I pulled renovation plans.
Suite 302.
Two entrances.
Main corridor.
Housekeeping access behind linen storage.
I told the tactical commander.
Teams moved.
Then Dante whispered,
“Tessa.”
“What?”
“If something happens—”
“No.”
“Tessa.”
“No dramatic final statements. Go left at the next corridor. There’s a service door behind the linen room.”
Silence.
Then:
“How do you know?”
“I read floor plans because apparently one of us has to be useful.”
He laughed once.
Good.
Alive.
Dante reached the service entrance.
Agents positioned opposite.
Gabriel’s voice carried through the room.
“You always were Antonio’s favorite.”
Dante answered,
“That bothered you more than the money.”
Silence.
Then Gabriel laughed.
“Finally learned something.”
Dante kept him talking.
Elena stayed quiet.
I watched through tactical feeds.
Gabriel stood near the window.
Gun against Elena’s side.
Dante entered slowly.
No weapon visible.
“You wanted me,” Dante said.
“Yes.”
“Then let her leave.”
“Still giving orders.”
“No.”
Dante looked at Elena.
Then back to Gabriel.
“Asking.”
That word mattered.
Elena moved.
Gabriel hesitated.
Just enough.
Tactical officers entered through the service door.
Gabriel fired.
Dante lunged toward Elena.
Glass shattered.
Men shouted.
Then silence.
Gabriel lay wounded.
Alive.
Elena was unharmed.
Dante had a cut across his forehead.
Nothing more.
When he returned outside, I hit him in the chest.
Hard.
“You left the van.”
“Yes.”
“You chased an armed man.”
“Yes.”
“You are impossible.”
“Yes.”
Then he looked at me.
“You followed me.”
“To the command perimeter.”
“Still.”
“Do not make this romantic.”
May you like
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“Too late.”
For once, I had no answer.
