Chapter 9 - VINCENT’S FATHER
Vincent came voluntarily.
That surprised everyone.
He entered the hospital conference room with two attorneys.
No weapon.
No bodyguards.
Gabriel sat across from him.
Still pale.
Still thinner than he should have been.
But eating now.
That mattered.
Norah sat near the door.
Not because she belonged in mafia business.
Because Gabriel asked.
She almost refused.
Then decided Rosa would want someone there who cared about truth more than family hierarchy.
Vincent looked at the recipe notebook.
His face changed.
“So you found it.”
Gabriel’s voice was cold.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Six years.”
Gabriel leaned forward.
“You knew Rosa was alive for six years.”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing.”
“Yes.”
Norah could almost feel the violence in the room.
Then Gabriel asked:
“Why?”
Vincent looked exhausted.
“My father.”
Vincent Hayes Sr. helped Michael arrange Elena’s fake death.
Not because he wanted Elena dead.
Because Michael threatened him too.
But after Elena escaped, Vincent Sr. helped hunt her.
He later regretted it.
Left records.
Rosa possessed copies.
If exposed, the Hayes family’s legitimate companies could face claims and scandal.
Vincent inherited that fear.
He found Rosa.
She refused to surrender the papers.
He chose silence instead of murder.
Cowardly.
Then Rafael found out.
“How?” Gabriel asked.
“Through me.”
Vincent looked down.
“I was drunk.”
Of course.
“I told him about Rosa because I thought he was loyal.”
Rafael realized Rosa was investigating current theft.
He inserted himself into her life.
Gained trust.
Then manipulated both sides.
“Did you help fake Paulie’s death?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Rafael said Paulie was stealing from us.”
“And you believed him.”
“I wanted to.”
That was more honest.
“What did he pay you?”
“Three hundred thousand.”
Gabriel laughed without humor.
“That’s what I’m worth to you?”
“No.”
Vincent’s face broke.
“That’s what my fear was worth.”
Interesting answer.
Gabriel remained cold.
Then Vincent slid a flash drive across.
“I copied Rafael’s communications before coming here.”
“Why?”
“Because he tried to kill me yesterday.”
The room changed.
“How?”
“He sent men.”
“Proof?”
Vincent showed wounds beneath his shirt.
Then messages.
Rafael had decided Vincent was liability.
Again.
Everyone becomes disposable eventually in a system built on leverage.
Then Vincent said:
“He’s planning to leave tonight.”
“Where?”
“Private airfield outside Gary.”
Gabriel looked at Leo.
Leo was already moving.
Norah said:
“No.”
Everyone turned.
“What?”
“If Rafael thinks you’re chasing him, he may have another move.”
Gabriel stared.
“What move?”
“The one he built for weeks.”
Starve Gabriel.
Destabilize organization.
Create succession crisis.
If Rafael suddenly runs, perhaps run is bait.
Paulie agreed.
“He wants something before he leaves.”
“What?”
Paulie thought.
Then:
“The signatures.”
Gabriel’s incapacity committee had temporary emergency authority documents prepared but unsigned.
Rafael needed either Gabriel incapacitated or two committee members aligned.
Leo would not.
Vincent might have before.
Now no.
So Rafael’s plan was collapsing.
What asset could still matter?
The $31 million?
He already had some.
Then Gabriel remembered:
Port consolidation contract.
Scheduled tomorrow.
If signed, Gabriel’s legitimate shipping company would acquire three terminals worth hundreds of millions.
Rafael had arranged financing.
Maybe the deal hid his exit.
They reviewed it.
Buried ownership structure.
One seller entity connected to Rafael.
If Gabriel signed, approximately $48 million would flow to an offshore company Rafael controlled.
He had been starving Gabriel while putting papers in front of him.
Hoping weakness would make him sign without reading.
But Gabriel had refused all business for eight days.
Paranoia accidentally saved him.
Norah looked at him.
“Your fear did something useful.”
“Don’t encourage it.”
Then Leo’s phone rang.
Security at the penthouse.
A man had entered Gabriel’s private office using executive credentials.
Rafael.
He was not fleeing.
May you like
He was inside Gabriel’s home.
And he had locked himself in the room containing the original port contracts.
