Chapter 3 - The Man Gabriel Trusted Most
Chloe stared at Beatrice's hands.
“Nico?”
Beatrice nodded.
Chloe glanced toward the door.
Only seconds earlier, Nico had been standing there.
Calm.
Polite.
Protective.
He had been the one who brought Chloe back into the room.
He had closed the door when Beatrice began talking about medication.
Chloe signed carefully.
Why do you think it's him?
Beatrice reached for her handbag.
From inside, she removed a folded photograph.
It was old enough that the corners had softened.
Three men stood beside a boat.
Gabriel was younger in the photograph.
Maybe twenty-five.
Nico stood beside him.
Between them stood an older man Chloe did not recognize.
Beatrice tapped the third man.
Victor?
Beatrice nodded.
Then she pointed from Victor to Nico.
Father and son.
Chloe froze.
Nico was Victor's son.
That fact had somehow not been obvious at dinner.
Maybe because nobody used last names.
Maybe because Chloe had spent the evening concentrating on water glasses and survival.
Beatrice signed again.
Gabriel thinks Nico chose him over Victor years ago.
Chloe watched.
He did not.
Beatrice pulled another item from her handbag.
A small folded piece of paper.
The paper contained rows of numbers.
Dates.
Amounts.
Initials.
V.S.
N.S.
Chloe frowned.
Where did you get this?
Beatrice smiled.
People think deaf means blind.
The sentence hit Chloe hard.
Leo used to say something similar.
People would discuss him in front of him as though deafness made him invisible.
Beatrice continued.
Three weeks ago I saw Victor and Nico in Gabriel's study.
They thought I was asleep.
Chloe pointed toward her own ears.
You couldn't hear them.
I can read lips.
Of course she could.
Chloe almost felt ashamed for asking.
What did they say?
Beatrice's hands slowed.
Transfer before December.
Doctor signs competency papers.
Gabriel cannot know until meeting.
Chloe's mouth went dry.
Competency papers for you?
Beatrice nodded.
They want Gabriel to believe I cannot manage my shares.
More signs.
Then Victor controls my voting rights.
“How many shares?”
Beatrice held up three fingers.
Then five.
Thirty-five percent.
Chloe sat back.
She knew almost nothing about Gabriel Costello's legitimate businesses.
But thirty-five percent of almost anything sounded important.
Beatrice signed again.
My husband left them to me.
Gabriel owns forty percent.
Victor controls fifteen.
Other family has ten.
Chloe understood immediately.
“If they control yours, Victor has fifty.”
Beatrice nodded.
And Gabriel loses the company.
Chloe stood.
“We need to tell him now.”
Beatrice grabbed her wrist.
No.
“What?”
Not here.
Beatrice looked toward the door.
Not with Nico outside.
Chloe lowered her voice even though Beatrice could not hear it.
“Then where?”
Beatrice signed.
Tomorrow.
My house.
Without Gabriel's men.
Chloe stared.
“That sounds like an excellent way to get murdered.”
Beatrice smiled faintly.
You are funny when nervous.
Chloe's mouth fell open.
“How did you know Marco said that?”
I read his lips through kitchen door.
Chloe looked toward the ceiling.
“Fantastic.”
Beatrice squeezed her hand.
Please.
The humor disappeared.
For the first time, Chloe saw fear in the older woman's face.
Not irritation.
Not loneliness.
Fear.
Chloe slowly nodded.
“Tomorrow.”
Beatrice smiled.
The door opened.
Gabriel entered alone.
His eyes moved immediately to the photograph and paper on the table.
Beatrice covered them with her handbag.
Gabriel noticed.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
Beatrice signed something.
Chloe translated.
“She was showing me a photograph.”
“Of?”
“Your father.”
That was technically true.
Gabriel looked suspicious.
“Anything else?”
Beatrice stared innocently at him.
Chloe hated how easily she joined the lie.
“No.”
Gabriel studied her face.
“You are terrible at lying.”
“I work for tips.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It usually is.”
He almost smiled.
Almost.
Then his phone rang.
Gabriel looked at the screen.
The warmth disappeared instantly.
He answered.
“Speak.”
Chloe watched his eyes harden.
“When?”
Silence.
“Who found him?”
Another pause.
Gabriel turned away.
“Don't touch anything.”
He ended the call.
Beatrice signed.
What happened?
Gabriel hesitated.
Then looked at Chloe.
“Tell her Dr. Brennan is dead.”
Chloe stopped breathing.
Beatrice's face went blank.
Gabriel continued.
“Car accident.”
Chloe signed the words.
Beatrice stared at her.
Then shook her head.
No accident.
Gabriel saw the signs.
“What did she say?”
Chloe translated.
Gabriel looked toward the closed door.
“Nico.”
The door opened almost immediately.
Nico appeared.
“Everything okay?”
Chloe felt every hair on her arms rise.
Gabriel's expression gave nothing away.
“Brennan is dead.”
Nico's reaction was perfect.
Shock.
Confusion.
Concern.
“When?”
“An hour ago.”
“Jesus.”
Nico rubbed a hand over his mouth.
“What happened?”
“His car went through a barrier on Lake Shore Drive.”
Nico shook his head.
“That’s terrible.”
Beatrice watched him.
Nico did not look at her.
Gabriel said nothing for several seconds.
Then he asked casually.
“Did you reach him before?”
Nico looked up.
“Who?”
“Brennan.”
“You told me not to contact him directly.”
“And?”
“So I didn't.”
Gabriel nodded.
Nico's eyes shifted toward Chloe.
Just once.
The movement lasted less than a second.
But Beatrice saw it too.
Nico walked closer.
“Do you want me to find out what happened?”
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
“That’s what I'm here for.”
“I said no.”
Something flashed behind Nico's eyes.
It vanished immediately.
“Of course.”
Gabriel turned toward Chloe.
“You’re done working tonight.”
“I still have tables.”
“Marco was compensated.”
“You actually paid the restaurant?”
“I warned you.”
Chloe folded her arms.
“For what exactly?”
“For your time.”
“My time is twelve dollars an hour.”
“Not anymore.”
“That sounds suspicious.”
Gabriel ignored her.
“Nico will drive you home.”
“No.”
The answer came from Chloe and Beatrice at exactly the same moment.
Gabriel frowned.
Chloe forced herself to remain calm.
“I take the train.”
“At midnight?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“I'm twenty-eight.”
“And Chicago remains Chicago.”
“I don't need a babysitter.”
Beatrice signed rapidly.
Chloe almost choked.
Gabriel noticed.
“What?”
“She says she'll drive me.”
“My seventy-four-year-old mother does not drive at night.”
Beatrice looked deeply offended.
Chloe translated.
“She says she's a better driver than you.”
Gabriel exhaled.
“Nico.”
“I said no.”
This time Chloe did not smile.
Gabriel studied her.
“You have a problem with Nico?”
Beatrice lowered her hands.
Chloe could feel her staring.
This was the moment.
Tell him.
But Beatrice had asked Chloe to wait.
And Dr. Brennan was already dead.
Chloe forced a shrug.
“I don't know Nico.”
“That wasn't my question.”
“I would rather take a cab.”
Gabriel looked at her for a long moment.
Then nodded.
“I’ll drive you.”
Chloe blinked.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“That seems worse.”
“It isn't optional.”
Beatrice laughed silently.
Twenty minutes later, Gabriel's black sedan pulled away from Il Canto.
Chloe sat in the passenger seat.
Gabriel drove himself.
No guards.
No Nico.
Chicago lights reflected across the windshield.
Neither spoke for three blocks.
Then Gabriel said quietly.
“My mother likes you.”
“I like her.”
“She doesn't like anyone.”
“Maybe people keep ordering her veal.”
Gabriel looked at Chloe.
“You really aren't afraid of me.”
“That’s not true.”
He turned back to the road.
“You hide it well.”
“I spent sixteen years interpreting for Leo while strangers stared at us.”
She looked out the window.
“You learn how to keep your face still.”
Gabriel was silent.
Then he asked.
“What was he like?”
The question surprised her.
“Annoying.”
Gabriel glanced over.
Chloe smiled faintly.
“He stole my sweaters.”
“Your brother stole sweaters?”
“He liked oversized clothes.”
She swallowed.
“He was funny.”
“Older?”
“Younger by four years.”
“What happened?”
Chloe's hands tightened.
“Drunk driver.”
Gabriel's jaw shifted.
“Did they catch him?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“Three years.”
Gabriel's expression darkened.
“That’s all?”
“That’s all.”
For the first time, Gabriel looked angry on her behalf.
Chloe did not know what to do with that.
They reached her apartment building.
Gabriel looked at the cracked entrance light.
“This is where you live?”
“Don't insult my palace.”
He looked up at the fourth-floor windows.
“You live alone?”
“That question is definitely suspicious.”
Gabriel almost smiled again.
Chloe opened the door.
Then his phone vibrated.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed instantly.
“What?”
Chloe stopped.
Gabriel held the phone toward her.
A photograph had been sent from an unknown number.
It showed Chloe leaving Il Canto twenty minutes earlier.
May you like
Underneath were six words.
THE WAITRESS SHOULD MIND HER BUSINESS.
