Chapter 14 - THE LAST BULLET
Gabriel found Vincent on the roof.
Rain had started again.
Of course it had.
Every terrible night in Gabriel’s life seemed to happen in the rain.
Vincent stood near the edge.
Gun in hand.
Police sirens screamed below.
“It’s over,” Gabriel said.
Vincent laughed.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
“You built your life on men like me.”
Gabriel kept his weapon raised.
“No.”
“You think you’re different?”
Vincent stepped closer.
“You threatened people. Buried enemies. Bought judges. Paid cops.”
Gabriel said nothing.
Because some of it was true.
Vincent smiled.
“You’re me with better hair.”
Gabriel almost laughed.
“Nathan used to say that.”
“Nathan was weak.”
Gabriel’s expression changed.
“No.”
Vincent aimed.
“Nathan was willing to destroy the family for a woman and a child.”
“That’s why he was stronger than both of us.”
Vincent fired.
Gabriel moved.
The bullet grazed his shoulder.
He fired once.
Vincent’s gun flew from his hand.
Gabriel tackled him.
They hit the wet concrete.
Vincent swung first.
Gabriel answered harder.
Years of anger broke loose.
Nathan.
Sarah.
Eli.
Claire.
Every lie.
Every funeral.
Every man who died in a war Vincent created.
Gabriel grabbed Vincent by the collar and dragged him toward the roof edge.
Vincent laughed through blood.
“There he is.”
Gabriel froze.
“The real Gabriel Kane.”
Below them, police lights flashed.
Vincent whispered.
“Do it.”
Gabriel’s hand tightened.
“Kill me.”
Footsteps rushed onto the roof.
Claire.
“Gabriel!”
He didn’t look at her.
Vincent smiled.
“Show her what you are.”
Gabriel lifted his fist.
Claire’s voice broke.
“You promised me.”
He stopped.
Rain ran down his face.
Vincent whispered, “Weak.”
Claire stepped closer.
“No.”
Gabriel looked at her.
She shook her head.
“Walking away when you could kill him isn’t weakness.”
Vincent laughed.
“You think a courtroom can stop me?”
Claire looked at him.
“No.”
She held up her phone.
“But your confession, Nathan’s records, Peter’s financial trail, the kidnapping evidence and thirty witnesses probably can.”
Vincent’s smile disappeared.
Federal agents reached the roof.
Gabriel slowly stood.
For one terrible second, Claire thought he might still shoot.
Instead, he released Vincent.
Agents slammed Vincent to the ground.
Handcuffs clicked.
Vincent screamed.
“You’ll regret this!”
Gabriel looked down at him.
“No.”
He took Nathan’s ring from his pocket.
“I already regret enough.”
Vincent was dragged away.
Claire walked toward Gabriel.
Then she saw blood running down his arm.
“You were shot.”
“Grazed.”
“You said you were coming back.”
“I’m standing here.”
“You are impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
She hit his good shoulder.
“Ow.”
“That wasn’t the injured one.”
“I noticed.”
Claire wrapped her arms around him.
Gabriel held her.
For the first time in eleven months, he allowed himself to believe the war might actually be over.
Then Mason came onto the roof.
“Boss.”
Gabriel looked at him.
Mason’s face was strange.
“What?”
“We found something in Vincent’s office.”
“What?”
“A custody document.”
Gabriel’s expression changed.
Mason handed it to him.
Nathan had signed it before his death.
If Nathan and Sarah died, legal custody of Eli was not automatically assigned to Gabriel.
Another name had been written beside his.
Claire Bennett.
Claire stared at the page.
“What?”
Gabriel looked at her.
May you like
Nathan had trusted Claire with more than evidence.
He had trusted her with his son.
