Chapter 8 - The Restaurant Where Everything Began
L’Osteria closed to the public at six.
At seven-thirty, every window was dark except the private dining room.
Norah watched from an SUV parked across the street.
She hated Ethan.
Specifically, she hated that he had won the argument about her staying outside.
“You know,” Finn said from the driver’s seat, “most people are relieved when told not to enter a room containing armed criminals.”
“I’m not most people.”
“I noticed.”
Mateo sat beside him with his shoulder bandaged beneath his coat.
Norah frowned.
“You should be in a hospital.”
Mateo shrugged.
“Boss said the same.”
“And?”
“I ignored him.”
Norah almost smiled.
“You people are impossible.”
Mateo looked offended.
“You fit in remarkably well.”
Inside L’Osteria, Ethan sat at the same corner booth where Norah had collapsed.
Victor Kane sat opposite him.
Victor was younger than Norah expected.
Mid-forties.
Handsome in the polished way expensive criminals often looked on television.
No visible tattoos.
No scars.
He looked like a venture capitalist.
Gregory sat several feet away.
Hands tied beneath the table.
Alive.
Barely.
Ethan glanced at him once.
Victor smiled.
“Sentiment?”
“No.”
“Your new friend seems to disagree.”
“You mention Norah again and this meeting ends.”
Victor laughed softly.
“You really are distracted.”
Ethan placed a black flash drive on the table.
Victor’s attention sharpened.
“Original?”
“Perhaps.”
“And the cash?”
“Federal evidence.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“That was foolish.”
“No. Trafficking people was foolish.”
“You pretend morality now?”
“I have always had rules.”
“Rules are what powerful men invent to feel civilized.”
“And men like you are what happens when they stop.”
Victor leaned back.
“Dominic used to say you were too sentimental.”
“He’s dead.”
A flicker passed through Victor’s eyes.
“Suicide is tragic.”
“You killed him.”
“Prove it.”
Ethan almost smiled.
“That is becoming easier.”
Victor’s confidence shifted slightly.
Across the street, Norah listened through Ethan’s wire.
Federal agents were positioned two blocks away.
Claire had arranged the cooperation.
Ethan hated involving them.
Norah insisted.
“You don’t get to solve human trafficking with more private violence,” she had told him.
He had stared at her for a long time.
Then agreed.
Now everyone waited for Victor to incriminate himself.
Victor gestured toward Gregory.
“You want him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Norah does.”
Gregory looked up.
His swollen eyes filled.
Victor laughed.
“Love makes men stupid.”
Ethan’s face did not change.
“This isn’t love.”
Across the street, Norah muttered, “Coward.”
Finn glanced back.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Victor picked up the flash drive.
Before he could pocket it, Ethan covered it with his hand.
“Gregory first.”
Victor sighed.
“You never trusted anyone.”
“I trusted Dominic.”
“And look how that ended.”
Ethan’s eyes became cold.
Victor signaled.
A guard cut Gregory’s restraints.
Gregory stumbled.
He made it three steps toward Ethan.
Then Victor said, “Wait.”
Everyone froze.
Victor looked toward Gregory.
“Tell him.”
Gregory went pale.
Ethan’s attention sharpened.
“Tell me what?”
Gregory shook his head.
Victor smiled.
“The charming part.”
Gregory looked at Ethan.
Then toward the hidden microphone he did not know existed.
“Norah’s apartment.”
Norah’s chest tightened.
“What about it?”
Ethan asked.
Gregory swallowed.
“The fire wasn’t Dominic.”
Silence.
Victor’s smile widened.
Ethan became still.
“Who?”
Gregory whispered.
“Me.”
Across the street Norah stopped breathing.
Gregory began crying.
“I panicked after you took her from the restaurant.”
Ethan’s eyes darkened.
“You set fire to a building with families inside.”
“I thought everyone was out.”
“You didn’t know that.”
“No.”
Gregory’s voice broke.
“I’m sorry.”
Norah covered her mouth.
She had wanted to save him.
Even after what he did.
Then Victor laughed.
“What a touching family reunion.”
Ethan stared at Gregory.
“Why?”
“Dominic told me to destroy anything Adam left.”
“So you burned your nephew’s home.”
Gregory shut his eyes.
“Yes.”
Norah turned away from the audio feed.
Her stomach twisted.
Finn looked at her.
“You okay?”
“No.”
It was the truth.
Inside, Ethan removed his hand from the flash drive.
Victor smiled.
“Good.”
Then Ethan said, “You can have it.”
Victor reached.
Ethan added, “It’s empty.”
Victor stopped.
Across the street, Finn grinned.
Victor’s face changed.
“You wasted my time.”
“No.”
Ethan leaned back.
“I needed you talking.”
Victor understood.
His eyes dropped to Ethan’s jacket.
Wire.
He stood.
Gunfire erupted immediately.
Norah flinched.
“Move!”
Finn started the engine.
Federal vehicles surged from both ends of the street.
Inside, Victor’s guards drew weapons.
Gregory dropped beneath a table.
Ethan overturned the heavy dining table and used it as cover.
Glass exploded.
The restaurant that had once gone silent because a starving woman collapsed was now filled with sirens and shouting.
Norah saw a side door open.
A man ran into the alley.
Victor.
“Finn!”
“I see him.”
“Go.”
“Federal agents are pursuing.”
“He’s getting away.”
“That is their job.”
Norah saw another figure stumble from the side door.
Gregory.
He was bleeding from the shoulder.
Victor turned.
Raised a gun.
Norah did not think.
She opened the SUV door.
Finn shouted.
“Norah!”
She ran.
Victor fired.
The bullet struck brick.
Gregory fell.
Norah reached him and dragged him behind a parked car.
“You idiot!”
Gregory stared at her.
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why did you come for me?”
Tears filled Norah’s eyes.
“Because Adam asked you once.”
Gregory broke.
“I’m sorry.”
“You should be.”
“I killed him.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“You failed him.”
Gregory sobbed.
“That matters. But Victor killed him.”
Victor appeared at the alley entrance.
Gun raised.
Norah froze.
Then Ethan stepped between them.
No hesitation.
Victor aimed at Ethan.
Ethan did not move.
“Drop it,” he said.
Victor laughed.
“You think she makes you immortal?”
“No.”
“You were smarter before her.”
“Probably.”
Victor cocked the weapon.
Norah screamed Ethan’s name.
A shot cracked.
Victor collapsed.
Not from Ethan.
From a federal marksman positioned on the adjacent rooftop.
Ethan remained standing.
He turned immediately toward Norah.
“Are you hit?”
“No.”
He crossed the distance and grabbed her shoulders.
“What were you thinking?”
“Gregory—”
“I told you to stay in the car.”
“He was going to die.”
“So were you!”
Ethan was shouting.
Norah had never heard him shout.
His hands shook.
That frightened her more than the gunfire.
“You’re shaking.”
“I am aware.”
“Ethan.”
“You ran toward a man with a gun.”
“So did you.”
“That is different.”
“How?”
“Because—”
He stopped.
Norah looked up.
“Because what?”
His anger cracked.
“Because I can survive losing myself.”
His voice lowered.
“I cannot survive losing you.”
Norah stopped breathing.
Sirens screamed around them.
Agents rushed past.
Gregory cried against the pavement.
The restaurant windows glittered with broken glass.
Yet for a few seconds, none of it existed.
Norah touched Ethan’s face.
“You said this wasn’t love.”
His jaw tightened.
“I lied.”
“That’s disappointing. You said you wouldn’t.”
“I am still a criminal.”
She laughed through tears.
Ethan kissed her.
Not gently.
Not carefully.
Like a man who had spent days refusing to acknowledge something that had already happened.
Then Sam’s name came over Finn’s radio.
Ethan pulled away instantly.
“What about Sam?”
Finn approached.
“He’s fine.”
Norah exhaled.
Finn smiled.
“Claire says he threw applesauce at one of the agents assigned to the penthouse.”
Ethan looked almost proud.
Gregory was loaded into an ambulance under federal guard.
Before the doors closed, he reached toward Norah.
“Tell Sam…”
She stopped.
Gregory swallowed.
“Tell him his father was brave.”
Norah looked at him.
“You’ll tell him yourself someday.”
Gregory began crying again.
“You think they’ll let me?”
“You’re going to prison.”
“I know.”
“But being punished doesn’t mean you stop being his uncle.”
Gregory stared.
Norah stepped back.
The ambulance doors closed.
Ethan stood beside her.
“You meant that?”
“Yes.”
“He burned your home.”
“I didn’t say I forgive him.”
She looked toward the ambulance.
“I said Sam deserves the truth.”
Ethan studied her.
Norah took his hand.
“Come home.”
He looked at their joined hands.
“Which home?”
She thought about that.
Then smiled faintly.
“For tonight?”
May you like
She leaned against him.
“Wherever Sam is.”
