14. Taken
TAKEN
GAbrIEL
Afury unlike any other enveloped Gabriel as he and Teddy placed Angelo’s body in the back seat of his pickup truck.
“How can I help?” Teddy asked.
“Take care of the customers,” Gabriel replied.
“I’ve got to send everyone home,” Teddy said.
Gabriel raked his hands through his hair, the anger gaining momentum as it whirled though him. “This was a targeted hit but do what you gotta do. I’ll swing by tomorrow, look at the video.”
“I got you,” Teddy said before hugging his brother.
The grief came hurtling toward him. Emotion tightened his chest, the pain numbing him.
Later.
Forcing himself to stay composed, he got into the driver’s seat, glanced over at Halston. She was on the phone.
“Thank you,” she said. “We’re on our way.” She hung up, peered over at Gabriel. “I called a few funeral homes nearby. One of them answered. The funeral director said the Moretti’s recently lost a family member.”
“Angelo’s grandfather. Now I have to tell them their Angelo was gunned down.” He gripped the steering wheel, anguish burning a hole in his heart.
As he drove out, he said, “I didn’t recognize the hitman.”
“He was masked,” Halston said, “and everything happened so fast.”
“Donskoy?” he asked.
“Hmm, maybe,” she replied. “Donskoy’s around my height, five six.”
Twenty-minutes later, Gabriel parked in front of the funeral home. He and the director moved Angelo’s body to a gurney, and he was wheeled into a receiving room.
“Please don’t contact the family,” Gabriel said.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” said the funeral director.
“Mr. Moretti—Angelo—is a long-time friend of mine.” Another jolt stabbed through him. This time, tears pricked his eyes. “Sorry.”
Halston put a calming hand on his back.
“I need to tell Angelo’s family before you contact them,” Gabriel explained. “I’ll pay for everything. Whatever they want.”
“Yes, sir. Should I expect the police to stop by?”
“The police weren’t called but refer them to me if that happens.” Gabriel handed him a business card. “I’ll have someone bring Angelo a suit.”
The moment felt surreal. Like he was stuck in a nightmare he could not wake from. Another jolt of grief tore through him.
The funeral director glanced from the business card to him. “Gabriel Santini of Santini International?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” said the director.
“Can I have a moment with Angelo?” Gabriel turned to Halston. “I won’t be long.”
She kissed his cheek. “Take whatever time you need.”
The funeral director escorted Halston out. His friend lay motionless on the gurney, the ashen color of his skin confirmation he was gone.
Gabriel placed his hand on Angelo’s chest. “It should have been me. You shouldn’t have stepped in front of me.
Those bullets weren’t meant for you, my friend.
I can never repay you for your loyalty. Even when I kill him, it won’t bring you back.
I’m so sorry, Angelo.” He bowed his head.
“Lord Jesus, I messed up. This is on me, but I will not turn the other cheek. I will avenge my friend.”
For a man who had tremendous control over his emotions, Gabriel was a mess. The mix of emotions—grief, fury, hatred, vengeance, and gratitude—charged through him at an unforgiving speed. He had to rein them in or he’d make a mistake. Losing Angelo had gutted him. He couldn’t lose anyone else.
He found Halston on a cushioned bench in the waiting room, her head bowed. He sat beside her, clasped her hand.
“Father, forgive me for the sins I have done, for the sins I will do,” she whispered. “Amen.”
“Amen,” Gabriel murmured. “What sins are you going to commit?”
“As many as it takes to right this,” she replied. “I’mma need a weapon. As much as I love my lipstick gun, it’s not enough.”
“I can’t bring you into this.”
She pressed her warm lips to his ear. “I killed the Bratva who was going to kill you. I’ve got a date with another that isn’t going to end well… for him.”
“I need to rethink our idea,” he said.
“I didn’t have a choice when Donskoy asked me out,” she whispered. “You’re the one helping me. I feel better knowing you have my back. There’s nothing to rethink. If you bail on me—”
“Never.”
She hugged him. The second he held her close, he felt the shift. It was immediate and intense. Being with Halston changed everything.
In the truck, Gabriel started the engine. “Your perfect evening—”
Halston leaned over, kissed his cheek. “Let’s head back to the restaurant. I want to see the video of the woman who sat with Angelo in the owner’s booth.”
“What about the museums?” he asked.
“I’ll tell them we had a family emergency and we’ll reschedule.”
He handed her his phone. She handed it back. “It’s locked.”
He rattled off the code.
She unlocked it, scrolled through his recents. As he headed back to the restaurant, she made the calls.
“This is Mrs. Santini,” she said. “Unfortunately, we’ve had a family emergency come up and have to reschedule. Can you hold for one second?” She muted the call. “Can they keep the donation?”
“Of course,” he replied.
She unmuted the call. “Thank you for waiting. Please keep the donation.” She ended the call, relayed the same information to the second museum employee, then set his phone in the cupholder.
“Done,” she said. “I need to let Evangeline know.”
“Why?”
“She’s my handler.” Halston made the call.
“Hello?” Evangeline answered.
“You’re on speaker. G is with me. We had something happen tonight you need to hear about in person, Sin too. We’re heading back to G’s family restaurant.”
“We can be there in thirty,” Evangeline said.
“I need a weapon and a vest,” Halston said.
“I can get you those,” Gabriel said.
“I got you,” Sin said. “You too G?”
“I don’t own a vest,” Gabriel replied. “Only wore one with you, Sin.”
“After tonight, you have to,” Halston said.
“Evangeline, Sin, thanks for doing this on such short notice.” She hung up, shifted toward him.
“Whoever wants you dead will kill anyone who stands in his way. Going forward, we have got to protect ourselves. This is war, Gabriel, and we’re in the middle of it. ”
“No, Halston, you are not. You have a job to do, and this is taking you off point. I will not put you at risk. I just lost my closest friend. I will not lose you. I have to warn my brothers, my cousin Carrera too. Elsa is an easy target.”
His thoughts jumped to the person in the parking lot. Who was he? Why was he trying to kill him? He had no answers, absolutely none. If there was anything he was good at, it was hunting down and annihilating his enemies.
Halston is right.
This is war.
Thirty minutes later, he and Halston were back at Santini Ristorante, their perfect date having come to a screeching halt in the worst possible way.
She was pouring over the video while he paced in the manager’s office.
He couldn’t sit, he couldn’t focus his thoughts.
He would have to tell Angelo’s family they’d lost their son, then he’d have to bury his friend. Another jolt of agony pelted his chest.
“Check this out,” Halston’s soothing voice broke through his jumbled thoughts.
He sat beside her, followed her gaze.
“This is the woman with Angelo,” Halston began. “She’s wearing a long-rimmed baseball cap at a five-star Italian restaurant. She’s sitting in the booth with her back to the camera. She knew where to sit to make sure she wasn’t easily recognized.”
“Nice work,” he said.
Halston rewound the video to the moment when the woman entered the restaurant and sidled up to Angelo at the bar. “She could be our shooter.” Halston’s piercing gaze brought him back to the present.
He stared at her, his thoughts jumping back to the person emerging from the parking lot, a gun in his outstretched hand. “You think the shooter’s a woman?”
“It’s possible.”
Teddy opened the office door. “You got company.” Evangeline and Sin entered, both dressed in black, each carrying black duffels. “Drinks for anyone?” Teddy asked.
Everyone declined.
“How’re the customers doing?” Gabriel asked.
“All good,” Teddy replied. “The second seating left. I instructed the servers not to talk about it, but I can’t put duct tape over their mouths.”
“I can,” Halston said as she continued pouring over the surveillance.
“G, how are you doing?” Teddy asked.
“Revenge is the greatest motivator,” Gabriel replied.
“Amen to that,” Sin said as he eased onto the black leather sofa.
Teddy left, shut the door.
Gabriel brought them up to speed in two sentences. “Someone tried to take me out tonight, but killed my underboss, Angelo Moretti. Barbi thinks it could be the woman who had a drink with him earlier in the owner’s booth.”
Earlier, Angelo was with me. Now, he’s gone.
Again, the grief overwhelmed him and he pushed out of the chair, raked his hands through his hair. “This is killing me.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Evangeline said.
“Whatever you need to take him or her out, I’m in,” Sin replied. “I’m a big fan of vengeance.”
“You gotta watch your sixes.” Evangeline opened the black bag and pulled out two vests. “Wear these under your clothes.”
Sin opened the second bag. “Barbi, I’ve got weapons for you.”
Halston eyed the guns. “I’m not proficient with firearms.”
“I’ll help you,” Gabriel said. “First rule, assume the gun is loaded. Second, keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Third, keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire.”
“This is insane,” she murmured as she approached the weapons Sin had laid on the desk.
One by one, she lifted each of the guns, wrapped her hand around the grip, keeping her finger off the trigger. “I like this one.”
“Nice choice,” Evangeline said. “SIG Sauer. My favorite too.”
“G, do you need anything?” Sin asked.
“I’m good.”
Next, Halston updated Evangeline on Bob Smith, real name Pavel Donskoy. “I’m having drinks with him tomorrow night.”
“Too dangerous,” Evangeline pushed back. “Your job is to gather information, figure out what’s going on at the embassy.”
“Ambassador Bulgrov insisted I go out with him,” Halston explained. “And the event on January 15th got moved to the 8th.”