Chapter 5 - A Son Finally Listens
Dominic disappeared before Gabriel’s men could capture him.
Patrick Doyle survived.
He also agreed to testify.
For the first time since Leo’s death, Chloe had something she had stopped believing she would ever have.
Proof.
But proof did not feel like peace.
It felt like another door opening.
Behind that door were more questions.
Gabriel moved everyone to another secured property.
This one was smaller.
Quieter.
Beatrice liked it better.
There were flowers outside the kitchen window.
By afternoon, federal investigators had copies of Leo’s flash drive.
Gabriel had handed them over himself.
Chloe had expected resistance.
Instead, he told his attorneys to cooperate.
When she asked why, his answer surprised her.
“Because your brother went to the police once and somebody buried it.”
He looked at the drive.
“He deserves a second chance to be heard.”
That evening Chloe found Gabriel sitting alone at the kitchen table.
A laptop was open in front of him.
On-screen, a smiling woman was demonstrating beginner ASL.
Chloe stopped in the doorway.
Gabriel immediately closed the laptop.
She raised an eyebrow.
“Were you watching cooking videos?”
“No.”
“Online poker?”
“No.”
“Cat videos?”
He sighed.
“Go away.”
Chloe smiled.
“You’re learning ASL.”
“I said go away.”
She stepped inside.
“What sign were you practicing?”
“None.”
“Show me.”
“No.”
Beatrice entered behind Chloe carrying tea.
Gabriel looked betrayed.
His mother saw the laptop.
Then she saw his hands.
Her face softened.
Gabriel looked uncomfortable.
He slowly lifted one hand.
How are you?
The sign was stiff.
Not perfect.
But clear.
Beatrice stared.
Then answered.
Angry.
Gabriel’s mouth tightened.
He signed.
I know.
Beatrice continued.
Sad.
He nodded.
I know.
Her hands moved.
Why now?
Gabriel stopped.
Chloe quietly stepped backward.
This was not hers to translate.
But Gabriel looked at her.
“Stay.”
She did.
Gabriel struggled with the next signs.
He knew pieces.
Not enough for everything.
So he spoke while using what signs he remembered.
“When I was little, signing with you was normal.”
Beatrice watched.
“Then Dad told me it made us look weak.”
Her expression hardened.
“He said important men didn’t wave their hands at dinner.”
Gabriel looked down.
“I was twelve.”
Beatrice signed.
You were a child.
“I stopped signing.”
You were a child.
“Then I got older.”
Beatrice’s hands stopped.
Gabriel looked at her.
“I wasn’t a child anymore.”
His voice became rough.
“I could have learned.”
“I could have told him he was wrong.”
“I could have made everyone around us learn.”
“I didn’t.”
Beatrice looked away.
Gabriel continued.
“I told myself you understood enough.”
“I told myself Rosa could translate anything important.”
“I told myself you preferred being quiet.”
Beatrice’s eyes filled.
Gabriel whispered.
“You weren’t quiet.”
“You were speaking the entire time.”
Chloe looked down.
Beatrice signed.
I missed you.
Gabriel’s face broke.
For the first time Chloe saw not Gabriel Costello the feared man.
Not the businessman.
Not the leader who made rooms fall silent.
Just a son who had failed his mother.
He moved closer.
“I missed you too.”
Beatrice touched his face.
Then she signed something he did not understand.
He looked at Chloe.
“What?”
Chloe smiled.
“She says your grammar is terrible.”
Gabriel laughed.
A real laugh.
Beatrice laughed too.
For the next hour Gabriel practiced.
Food.
Home.
Mother.
Son.
Sorry.
Listen.
Chloe corrected his hand position whenever he cheated.
Beatrice corrected him more aggressively.
At one point she smacked his fingers with a wooden spoon.
Gabriel looked outraged.
Chloe nearly fell off her chair laughing.
Later that night the mood changed.
Gabriel’s security chief entered.
“We found Marco.”
“Where?”
“O’Hare.”
“Leaving?”
“Trying to.”
Gabriel stood.
“Bring him here.”
Chloe immediately said.
“No.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“We agreed.”
“We agreed Doyle remained intact.”
“We didn’t discuss Marco.”
“Gabriel.”
He stared at her.
Beatrice signed.
Police.
Gabriel closed his eyes.
Apparently being outvoted in his own house was a new experience.
“Fine.”
He called his attorney.
Marco was transferred into federal custody.
Two hours later he requested a deal.
He admitted helping Dominic steal cargo.
He admitted planting the listening device in Chloe’s apartment.
He admitted following Beatrice.
But he denied ordering Leo’s death.
According to Marco, Dominic had not ordered it either.
Chloe read the transcript twice.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Gabriel leaned against the desk.
“What exactly did he say?”
Chloe read aloud.
“Dominic wanted the boy scared.”
“He told Victor Sanz to recover the drive.”
“But Victor made a separate call.”
Gabriel frowned.
“To whom?”
“Marco claims he doesn’t know.”
Chloe continued reading.
“After Leo died, Dominic was furious because killing him created attention.”
Gabriel crossed his arms.
“So someone above Dominic gave the order.”
“Or beside him.”
Beatrice, sitting near the window, suddenly looked up.
She signed.
The red coat.
Chloe frowned.
“What red coat?”
Beatrice repeated.
Christmas.
Garden.
Red coat.
Gabriel stared at her.
“What is she saying?”
“She saw somebody in a red coat.”
“When?”
Beatrice signed.
Last Christmas.
The night I first saw Dominic meet Victor.
Gabriel crouched in front of his mother.
“Who?”
Beatrice hesitated.
Chloe translated the question.
The older woman signed slowly.
A woman.
Gabriel frowned.
“What woman?”
I did not see her face.
“She didn’t see her face.”
Beatrice continued.
But Dominic was afraid of her.
Gabriel became very still.
Chloe noticed.
“You know someone.”
“No.”
“You reacted.”
“I’m thinking.”
“That was not a thinking face.”
He looked at her.
“You have categories for my faces?”
“Yes.”
“Dangerous habit.”
“Answer the question.”
Gabriel walked toward the window.
“There are not many people Dominic fears.”
“Name them.”
“Most are dead.”
“That’s comforting.”
He ignored the remark.
“There is one woman he would fear.”
Beatrice watched him carefully.
Chloe asked.
“Who?”
Gabriel took several seconds to answer.
“My aunt.”
Beatrice’s face changed immediately.
Chloe saw it.
Fear.
Not surprise.
Gabriel saw it too.
“Ma?”
Beatrice signed.
No.
Gabriel moved closer.
“What?”
Beatrice stood.
No.
No.
No.
Her hands moved faster.
She is gone.
“She says she’s gone.”
Gabriel’s face hardened.
“My aunt disappeared nineteen years ago.”
Chloe looked between them.
“Disappeared?”
Gabriel nodded.
“My father said she betrayed the family and fled Europe.”
Beatrice shook her head violently.
Gabriel stared at her.
“What?”
Beatrice signed.
Your father lied.
The room became silent.
Chloe translated.
Gabriel looked as though the floor had shifted beneath him.
“My father said Isabella stole from him.”
Beatrice shook her head.
He tried to kill her.
Gabriel sat down.
Chloe translated carefully.
Beatrice continued.
Isabella discovered what your father was doing at the docks.
She wanted out.
He threatened her daughter.
Gabriel’s eyes lifted.
“Daughter?”
Beatrice stopped.
Chloe looked at her.
Beatrice had gone pale.
Gabriel noticed.
“My aunt had a daughter?”
No answer.
“Ma.”
Beatrice turned away.
Gabriel stepped in front of her.
“You’re telling me I have a cousin.”
Beatrice’s hands trembled.
Had.
Gabriel froze.
“What do you mean had?”
Beatrice signed.
The baby died.
He stared at her.
“How?”
She shook her head.
Gabriel’s voice softened.
“Ma.”
Beatrice looked toward Chloe.
Then she signed something that made Chloe’s breath catch.
Chloe did not translate.
Gabriel noticed immediately.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“What did she say?”
Beatrice repeated the sentence.
Chloe stared at Gabriel.
“Your mother says the baby didn’t die.”
Gabriel’s face emptied.
“Then where is she?”
Beatrice signed.
Your father sent her away.
Gabriel whispered.
“To who?”
Beatrice looked directly at Chloe.
And suddenly Chloe understood why the older woman had gone so pale.
Beatrice raised one trembling hand.
She pointed at Chloe.
Gabriel stopped breathing.
Chloe stepped backward.
“No.”
Beatrice began signing.
Chloe shook her head.
“No.”
Gabriel looked between them.
“What is she saying?”
Chloe’s voice disappeared.
Beatrice reached for her.
Chloe backed away again.
“My parents were Daniel and Margaret Bennett.”
Beatrice nodded.
She signed.
Margaret was Isabella’s closest friend.
Chloe could barely translate.
“She says my mother knew Isabella.”
Gabriel stared.
Beatrice continued.
When Isabella ran, your father searched for the child.
Margaret took her.
Changed records.
Raised her as family.
Chloe shook her head.
“That’s impossible.”
Gabriel looked at Beatrice.
“Are you saying Chloe is Isabella’s daughter?”
Beatrice’s answer was immediate.
No.
Chloe exhaled.
May you like
Then Beatrice signed again.
Leo was.
