Chapter 11 Table for Three
July 20
Los Angeles
Kat Kar
T hey were late! God , if they didn’t show up, she was screwed. “Positive thoughts, Khatira,” she reprimanded herself. She closed her eyes and began reciting her morning affirmations:
I am capable of achieving greatness.
Today is a phenomenal day.
I have everything I need.
Except, she didn’t have everything she needed. The Haitian goober Joseph Chery had taken all her stuff. Or, Laila’s stuff, she hastily amended in her mind.
The bell tinkled overhead, and she caught sight of them. Oooh, they were a cute couple. But where was Laila’s hubby? So many questions, such little time. Kat waved her arm excitedly.
Laila’s lips twitched in what could have been a smile, but Gabriel definitely grimaced. Kat felt mildly relieved that he wasn’t dead or permanently damaged from their last encounter together. As they slid into the booth across from her, Kat was surprised to find that her palms were sweaty from nerves.
“Hi, guys,” she began excitedly. “So glad you could make it,” her voice nervously trailed off as they both failed to respond.
Laila exhaled slowly, her fingers lacing together tightly on the table. Her eyes fixed on Kat. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy with unspoken tension.
Suddenly, Laila’s voice sliced through the stillness, low and icy. “We are not friends, Kat. You stole from me. You violated my space, my trust, and you hurt my friend.” Her gaze never left Kat’s, sharp and unwavering. “The only reason I’m here, without the police, is because I feel like I should at least hear your side of the story before possibly ruining your life.”
Kat flinched, leaning back slightly, unable to meet Laila’s eyes.
Laila leaned closer, her voice dangerously calm. “Unlike you, I don’t take pleasure in turning someone’s life upside down. Don’t mistake my need for fairness as kindness. Don’t think for a second that this changes anything between us.” She tilted her head, her piercing gaze boring a hole into Kat’s soul.
Kat rolled her eyes in irritation. “Okay, I’m sensing some slight hostility here, and while I can understand what brought this on, I do think it can be cleared up just as easily.”
Laila briefly lunged forward before Gabriel put his arm around her waist and gently nudged her to sit back down. The waiter arrived, dropping off menus. Sensing the tension, he quickly made a hasty retreat.
Kat pulled out the wallet with a smug smile on her face. “I believe this belongs to you,” she handed it to Laila with a flourish. Kat beamed, “You’re welcome.”
While Laila went through the various compartments of the wallet, Gabriel cleared his throat to speak. “This does not make us even. You cannot return an item that you stole and act like you’re doing us a favor.”
Kat nodded. “I understand. But to be fair, I was under extreme duress,” as Gabriel’s eyes narrowed in annoyance, Kat sped up the speech she had rehearsed. “I owe you both an apology.” Her eyes darted between them. “Laila, I found your wallet on the beach a few weeks ago, and I naturally looked you up. Your life was so perfect and shiny and rich and everything that I wanted to be.” She took a sip of water to lubricate her suddenly dry throat. “Your life is what I was pretending to be. Except I was being sued for failing to disclose brand criteria properly on social media—still being sued, by the way—and I couldn’t pay my rent. Then your wallet landed in my lap. I really thought it was the answer to all my problems. I could go into your place, grab a few things, pay off my debts, and no one would be the wiser.”
Laila pulled out the Virginia Woolf quote her mother had given her, her fingers lovingly tracing the faded edges. “This quote means a lot to me. It was one of the last things my mother said to me before she passed away. I think she meant it as a way for me to be strong and keep carrying on.” Laila smiled and reread the words out loud. “I am made and remade continually. Different people draw different words from me.”
Kat joined her in reading the last line, causing Laila’s eyes to widen in surprise. Kat’s gaze flickered to Gabriel, and she saw the anger still lingering in its depths. She winced. “I especially did not mean for you to get hurt. We didn’t think anyone would be at the suite. We had been tracking Laila’s vacation on her Insta stories—”
Laila gasped slightly, realizing that Gabriel wasn’t the only one who had been watching her.
“So, when Gabriel showed up unannounced, we panicked, and it was awful. I’m really, truly glad that you’re okay. Leaving you in that state haunted both of us for days.” Kat wished her knee would stop jostling under the table; it was making it hard for her to concentrate.
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed as he leaned back in the booth, his expression unreadable. “I appreciate the apology,” his voice firm and unyielding, “but there’s a lot more to sort out here than just words.”
Kat nodded, aggravated that they both weren’t letting go of the grudge. The waiter returned and arched an eyebrow in query. They all murmured for coffee except for Kat, who asked for a kale smoothie.
As the waiter walked away, Laila said in a more subdued tone, “I appreciate you being honest with us and apologizing. I know showing up like this couldn’t have been easy. There’s also one other thing I was looking for: my mother’s emerald ring set. There was Urdu writing inscribed on the side. Do you remember seeing it?”
Kat closed her eyes and recalled Joseph saying something about pawning it to pay the rent. Shaking her head no, she said, “I’m not sure. There’s a lot I need to fill you guys in on. I wasn’t acting alone. Joseph Chery kind of masterminded the whole thing—if I’m being honest. But before we get into that,” Kat sat up straight in the booth and slid over a yellowed, slightly crumpled envelope. “Did you know that there was a safe behind the Rajasthani painting?”
Laila blinked. “Yes, it’s where Jay kept some of his confidential client documents. I didn’t really venture there.”
Kat nodded gravely. “It was important that I give this to you in person. The minute I read it, I knew we would meet one day. Because this is so sensitive, I knew I had to be the one handing it over to you. I have very built shoulders in case you need somewhere to cry.”
Laila unintentionally snorted a laugh and raised an eyebrow. “This must be some envelope, then.”
“It’s the document they took from the safe. I remember it was the last thing they took before the alarms went off,” Gabriel’s eyes never left Kat’s face. She had a feeling he didn’t believe a word coming out of her mouth.
Feeling oddly apprehensive, Laila opened the contents and unfurled the brittle pages. Her breath left her body in a soft whoosh as her face went pale. Gabriel’s arm instinctively moved around her, his protective instincts flaring. “This can’t be right,” Laila whispered.
“Preciosa,” Gabriel’s voice was soft but urgent. “What is it? It can’t be that bad.”
Laila took a sip of her coffee, her hands shaking. “It’s a dowry agreement between my father and my husband from ten years ago. My father provided 50% capital for Jay’s business ventures along with a $25,000 payment... to marry me.”
Laila closed her eyes. She couldn’t bear to have Gabriel look at her with pity or even this Kat person. Was her marriage even real? Had Jay ever loved her? Would she ever know why her father did what he did? She realized with startling clarity that all the men in her life had been lying to her, her entire life.
“Are you sure it’s legitimate?” Gabriel asked, his voice edged with concern.
Laila nodded, still not daring to open her eyes. “It’s dated ten years ago, a month before we got married. It even has a Notary Public stamp on it. And a lot of the language is in Urdu. I don’t think Kat could have forged this.”
Kat straightened slightly. “I’m a little awkward in Urdu. However, my flawless Bengali would be lost on you two.”
Laila shook her head in bemusement, not quite understanding the girl sitting in front of her.
“Okay, so glad we got all that cleared up and behind us—this is the part where I need your help.”
Gabriel coughed as his coffee went down the wrong pipe. “You want us to help you,” he sputtered.
“Obviously, why else have I been feeding you breadcrumbs all the way from Chicago? And honestly, you two are the slowest Hansel and Gretel I’ve ever come across—”
“Hold on now,” Laila interrupted, annoyed.
Kat ignored her, her voice turning pleading. “I am genuinely serious. Joseph Chevy is somehow involved with this Haitian Militia guy called Smoke. They’re meeting up this afternoon at the Port of Long Beach. Joseph needs to pay back a few debts. But something about Joseph just doesn’t add up.”
Laila shook her head, her voice tinged with exhaustion. “I’ve had enough of this mess. I need to lie down. You should be grateful we’re not taking this to the police and are instead leaving it with the insurance company.”
Kat’s eyes widened when she realized Laila was about to leave. “No, you can’t. Look, I am very sorry about what I’ve done. But this guy Joseph, he’s super shady. And if we don’t stop him, there’s no telling what he’s capable of. Also, my best friend is in love with him, and I think he’s a really bad influence.”
Gabriel interjected, “Worse than someone who robs people halfway across the country?”
Kat rolled her eyes. “Oh Em Gee, I said I was sorry. Engrave it on my headstone, why don’t ya?”
Laila looked between the two of them, her gaze flickering between Kat’s pleading expression and Gabriel’s stubborn one. “She’s right,” Laila said slowly.
Gabriel’s gaze softened when he looked at Laila. “Are you sure?”
Laila nodded. “What if they do this to someone else? What if it gets violent? If we can stop one person from getting hurt, then we should try. It’s the right thing to do.”
Gabriel sighed. He jerkily turned towards Kat with a scowl. “We’re going. But you better not pull anything else. If we’re doing this, we do it our way, understand?”
Kat nodded quickly, relief flooding through her. “Deal. We make sure Joseph gets arrested, Laila gets her stuff back, and we all walk away clean.”
Laila gave her a measured look. “You better hope so.”
There was a long pause before Gabriel stood, sliding out of the booth. “Let’s get it over with,” he muttered, his voice firm but heavy.
Laila followed suit, her movements slow and deliberate as if she was still recovering from the multiple shocks she had received, while Kat scrambled desperately behind them.
“You guys have a car, right? Because I’m more a passenger princess these days. And honestly, vehicle emissions are just terrible for the environment.”
July 20
Long Beach Port
Laila Malik
“Explain to me again how you and your friend are connected to the Haitian Militia,” Gabriel asked, putting on his aviator shades.
As Kat launched into the convoluted story, Laila studied her from the backseat. There was something undeniably compelling about Kat—scrappy, resourceful, and fearless in a way that only someone with nothing to lose could be. Laila recognized the type; she’d represented clients like her before. Despite herself, Laila didn’t hate her. It would’ve been so easy to pin her unraveling life on this impulsive, na?ve girl, but maybe Kat had done her a favor. Maybe Kat had opened a window into a new life Laila hadn’t known she needed.
Kat held up a finger as she took a call. “Hal, we talked about this. You can’t just call me whenever you want.”
Placing the call on speaker, she mouthed to Gabriel and Laila, “My friend Hal,” as though that explained everything.
“Well, I’m about to close up shop for the day, missy, so before I place this anonymous tip to the police, I need to know a few details, like you know: Who? And what? And where?”
Kat blew out her breath in exasperation. “You’re so impatient. I’m tracking Christian now. They’re heading towards Long Beach Port, Terminal 10. Just let them know Smoke is going to be there collecting money after he blackmailed this guy named Joseph Chery. Joseph has about $60,000 worth of goods and maybe $18,000 cash on him.”
“Alright, I do think you owe me a coffee after all this, don’t you?”
“Uh-huh, bye,” Kat hung up on Hal as they entered the Port of Long Beach.
The air was thick with the smell of diesel, salt water, and exhaust. As the rail line whistled in the distance, the constant thrum of the engines vibrated through the ground beneath them. Massive cranes towered overhead, their long arms silhouetted against the hazy skyline, reaching down like giants preparing to unload the towering containers stacked along the docks. The labyrinth of cargo ships and containers stretched endlessly, their towering steel frames casting shadows over the docks. It was difficult to get a clear view of the sky. Laila tried to shake off the unease, but it clung to her like the oppressive exhaust around them. Her mind raced with possibilities—what if Kat had sent them into a trap? It wouldn’t be the first time they’d been outmaneuvered by this woman. The idea of walking into something bigger, something darker, hit Laila like a punch in the gut.
“Terminal 10 should be just over that way,” Kat whispered as she pointed to the left.
“Have you been here before? You seem awfully familiar with your surroundings,” Laila asked.
Kat shook her head incredulously. “Absolutely not,” Kat became distracted as she spotted Christian’s mane of curls. “That’s her.”
“Great,” Gabriel bit out as he parked a hundred feet away. “Does anyone see the police? We’re only here to observe, right? Make sure the right people get taken away in handcuffs.”
Kat peered through the window at Christian. “Something’s not right. Why are Joseph and Smoke pulling out crates? Joseph was just supposed to give him the money and leave. And now they’re nudging Christian toward the SUV. What the hell?”
Before Laila or Gabriel could stop her, Kat jumped out of the car and ran toward Christian. Muttering a curse under his breath, Gabriel unbuckled his seatbelt and turned toward Laila. “Whatever you do, do not get out of this car. I can’t have anything happen to you. Do you understand?”
Laila nodded, her eyes wide with fear as Gabriel ran behind Kat, trying to slow her down.
Kat Kar
The ground felt uneven beneath her sneakers as she sprinted toward the docks, her heart pounding. She spotted Christian almost immediately, her familiar silhouette unmistakable.
Hearing a second pair of footsteps behind, she realized Gabriel had joined her. He quickly grabbed her arm and stepped in front of her. “Stay behind me,” he warned.
Smoke snapped at Joseph, irritation clouding his voice. “What the hell is this? A fucking tea party? Why you got all these randos showing up?”
“She isn’t going anywhere with you. Let her go,” Kat shouted from behind Gabriel.
Smoke looked at Kat in bemusement. “Let who go? Her?” He then pulled Christian into a chokehold, pressing the barrel of his gun to her temple. Christian cried out in fear, looking to Joseph for help.
“Easy, easy,” Gabriel raised his hands to show he had no weapons on him. “No one needs to get hurt. We just want the girl to come home with us, and you guys can keep the money.”
Smoke curled his upper lip and laughed. “I was planning to keep the money all along. Why not add the girls in for a bit of fun, eh?”
Joseph started to walk toward Smoke, his voice shaky. “C’mon man, that wasn’t part of the plan—”
Before he could finish, Smoke turned, fury flashing in his eyes. He swung his gun toward Joseph, landing a brutal punch to his face. Joseph stumbled back, blood spilling from his mouth.
“Shut the hell up,” Smoke spat out, turning back to Gabriel and Kat. “You, the little spunky one. How about you get in the car with me, and we’ll see what that mouth can do, yeah?”
Kat stiffened, but before she could respond, the faint sound of police sirens wailed in the distance.
Smoke turned his gun on Joseph once again. “Did you set me up, you little bitch?”
Joseph cried out, his bottom lip split in two. “No, it wasn’t me, man. You gotta believe me.”
Before Smoke could pull the trigger, Gabriel tackled him from behind. Wrestling him to the ground, Gabriel desperately clawed for the gun.
Kat quickly grabbed Christian, trying to figure out which way to go, when she saw Laila’s car come screeching to a halt in front of them. “Get in, girls,” Laila demanded.
As the girls clambered into the car, they all heard a gunshot ring out.
Laila Malik
Laila’s heart froze as she saw Gabriel’s face go blank with shock. Ignoring Smoke as he pushed past her to get away, she screamed Gabriel’s name and ran toward him, her legs moving faster than her brain could comprehend. The world became a blur around her.
Cradling his head in her lap, Laila felt the warm, thick blood soaking through his charcoal blazer. Panic gripped her chest, but she forced the words out. “We have to stop meeting like this,” she stammered, her voice breaking, as a sob fought to escape.
Gabriel let out a strained laugh, wincing as his body shifted. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for a pretty face,” he groaned, his voice slightly slurred and labored. His eyes fluttered, clouded with pain. “You didn’t listen, did you? I told you to stay in the car.”
“I’m fine,” Laila whispered, her breath hitching as she tore off her scarf and pressed it firmly to his wound. She could feel his pulse beneath her trembling fingers. Her hands shook so violently that she struggled to keep pressure on the gash. “I’m so sorry. You were right. We never should’ve come. We should’ve turned this over to the police. Oh my God, Gabriel. If anything happens to you...” Her voice faltered, her chest tightening with guilt.
Gabriel’s smile was faint but real. “I love you too, preciosa .” His words were soft, a dreamlike whisper before his eyes closed, and he slipped into unconsciousness.
Laila froze. Had he really said that? Was it a fleeting moment of delirium, or was there something deeper? Her mind raced, trying to grasp the truth of it.
As the paramedics arrived, Laila clutched their hand, her voice pleading. “Can I go with him? Please. I need to know where you’re taking him.”
The paramedic hesitated before shaking his head. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I believe the police will want to talk to you. We’ll take care of him, though.” He nodded solemnly, tipping his hat before he and his team loaded Gabriel onto the gurney.
Laila’s heart cracked as she whispered, almost inaudible, “But he said he loved me.”
Kat heard the words as she stepped out of the car; Christian followed close behind. The sound of sirens pierced the air. The smoke from the gunfight still hung in the streets, and the shell casings glistened under the streetlights like forgotten promises. Her eyes welled up. This was all her fault. She had almost gotten Gabriel killed.
She turned to Christian, her hands trembling. Tears streaming down her face as the weight of her actions hit her.
“I’m so sorry,” Kat kept repeating, in delirium. “I’m really, really sorry.”
Christian met her gaze, her eyes filled with a quiet understanding. She nodded slowly, her voice barely a whisper. “I know. I know.” Then, without a word more, Christian pulled her into a hug.
“It’s okay,” Christian replied, stroking her hair. “It’s going to be okay.”