Chapter 11 - THE WAREHOUSE AT RED HOOK
Gabriel wasn't actually alone.
He simply wasn't stupid.
Federal agents were three blocks away.
Arthur—the quiet Rossi security chief I'd seen at Ilvento—was positioned near the river.
No family soldiers.
No visible weapons.
Just backup.
We entered together.
Vittorio waited beside a laptop.
Mia sat in a chair.
Not injured.
Terrified.
When she saw me, she started crying.
“Tess.”
I moved toward her.
A man blocked me.
Gabriel stepped forward.
The man shoved him.
Bad choice.
Gabriel drove him backward with one controlled strike.
The man recovered and charged again.
Gabriel sidestepped and put him hard onto the concrete.
Non-graphic.
Decisive.
Vittorio clapped slowly.
“Very noble.”
“Release Mia.”
“After Tessa opens the account.”
I held up the notebook.
“First she walks.”
Vittorio laughed.
“No.”
“Then you get nothing.”
He stared at me.
Maybe he expected fear.
I was terrified.
But three months at Ilvento had taught me wealthy men hated hearing no.
Old mafia men apparently hated it more.
Eventually, Vittorio released Mia to the far side of the room.
Gabriel moved her behind him.
I approached the laptop.
Voice authentication appeared.
I spoke the phrase in dialect.
Accepted.
Then another prompt.
BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION.
Three names appeared.
Vittorio Rossi.
Alessandro Rossi.
Elena Bell.
My mother had been listed as a beneficiary.
Her share transferred at death to...
Tessa Bell.
I stared.
Thirty million dollars.
Mine legally.
Vittorio smiled.
“Now transfer all funds.”
“No.”
His smile vanished.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand exactly.”
The money had been built through suffering.
I selected freeze account.
Federal review.
Vittorio lunged.
Gabriel moved between us.
Alessandro grabbed Vittorio from behind.
Chaos erupted.
Federal agents entered seconds later.
Vittorio was arrested.
Alessandro surrendered.
Mia collapsed against me.
It should have been over.
Then one agent looked at the account screen.
“Tessa, don't touch anything.”
“What?”
One transfer had already occurred before the freeze.
Twenty million dollars.
Destination:
Rossi Family Foundation.
Authorized two days earlier.
By Gabriel.
I turned toward him.
May you like
He went pale.
“I didn't do that.”
