Chapter 14 #3
“Ah, glad you two are here,” Sid said, breezing in.
“I’ve just got a minute. Damned secretary scheduled a conflicting appointment.
” He fussed for a moment, pouring a cup of coffee, then took his place behind his desk.
Elbows on the desktop, fingers steepled, he spoke.
“First, let me congratulate both of you on the Sabatino case. That went very well. Very well indeed.”
Neither Devlin nor Gabrielle spoke. In fact, Devlin wondered if Gabrielle had even heard, so vacant was her expression.
Sid cleared his throat and continued. “As you both may know from the rumor mill, I’ve been contemplating early retirement.
In this case, the rumors are true. I’ve been considering my successor, and I’ve come to a decision.
” Rising, he held out a hand to Gabrielle.
“Gabrielle, I think you’ll make a fine chief attorney of criminal defense litigation. Congratulations.”
It wanted only this, Devlin thought, for the perfect ending.
Gabrielle stared at Sid, looking totally stunned. My God, what an artist, he thought, even able to admire her in an odd, detached way. She’d won everything—just as she’d intended to all along.
Sid cleared his throat. “Gabrielle?”
“You want me to—?” She broke off, the epitome of confusion and surprise, and finally shook Sid’s hand.
Devlin felt like putting his fist through something, but he was damned if he’d let her see him lose control. He’d lost before, been shafted before, but never quite so thoroughly. It was poetically, ironically perfect. What else had he expected when he took on the Queen of Sharks?
“Why don’t we meet around three and discuss some details, Gabrielle?
” Sid said. “I’ve got to run now.” At the door, he paused.
“By the way, I heard on the radio this morning that Franco Sabatino was murdered last night. Gunned down in front of a Deep Ellum bar about two A.M. Didn’t have long to enjoy his freedom, did he? ”
The door closed behind Sid, and silence hung in the room.
Gabrielle stared at the door, seemingly in shock. Devlin began to clap. “Wrapped up all neat and tidy,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re amazing.”
Her brow furrowed as she looked at him. “What are you talking about?”
Devlin lifted an eyebrow. “Must be nice having a daddy who can off anybody who gives you problems.”
“You think I—you think my father did this?” she asked incredulously.
“Come on, Gabriela, give me some credit. I know it wasn’t you, since you happened to be seducing me about that time last night. But you ordered the hit.”
Anger overrode the shock in her expression. She jumped to her feet and glared at him. “Do you really believe I ordered a hit on a man? On anyone, even Franco Sabatino?”
Devlin shrugged and rose. “Maybe not in so many words. Are you going to tell me you didn’t call your father?”
“I—” Her gaze faltered, dropped. She turned her back on him and strode away a few steps. Still with her back to him, she spoke. “Vito didn’t do it. He swore he wouldn’t kill him.”
“So you admit you talked to Donati.” His hands fisted in his pockets. A part of him had wanted her to deny it, and would have believed her if she had. God, what a sap he was.
Whirling around, she shouted, “Yes, I talked to him! I had to! Franco was about to—” Abruptly, she broke off. “I asked Vito to muzzle Franco, but he gave me his word he wouldn’t kill him.”
“The word of a Mafia don,” Devlin said scornfully.
“My father’s word,” she said, her head held high and her green eyes colder than a winter’s dawn. “You know nothing about him, and obviously, nothing about me either. Vito kept his word to me for fourteen years. I won’t start doubting him now. He didn’t order that hit.”
His mouth curved into a satiric smile. “Mighty convenient of Sabatino to go get himself shot, wasn’t it?”
“Do you think Franco didn’t have other enemies? He’s bound to have had scores of them.”
“Why did they pick now to kill him, then? Why not last week or last year? Or a month from now?”
“I don’t know.” She took an agitated turn and faced him again. “This is—this probably is my fault, in part. All Vito had to do was put the word out that Franco was no longer in his favor. It would be enough to get him killed.”
“You are so damned good, it’s unbelievable. Congratulations, Counselor. How does it feel to have it all? Promotion, probable partnership, money, the glory. And no Sabatino to threaten it.”
She said nothing, simply looked at him blankly.
Unable to bear more, Devlin strode to the door.
“Of course, you’ll have to find another lover,” he added, turning to make one last jab, “but I don’t imagine it will take long to break in a new one.
Not for a woman of your—” He paused and added with an ironical lift of his eyebrow, “talents.”
Her gaze met his. He’d never seen a bleaker expression in anyone’s eyes. “If that’s what you believe,” she said, “what you honestly believe, then there’s nothing more I can say to you.”
“Not unless it’s Arrivederci, sucker,” Devlin said, and walked out.