Chapter 14 - The Dinner He Remembered.
The message at the airfield terrified Gabriel because Sterling knew exactly how to reach Rory without touching her.
He used memories.
Gabriel brought a photograph of the purple writing to Rory.
She stared at it for a long time.
"Dinner where?"
Gabriel asked gently.
Rory frowned.
Then her eyes widened.
"The train dinner."
Lena looked confused.
Rory explained that Sterling once took them to an old railway dining car after Lena threatened to expose him.
He bought Rory pancakes and told Lena it proved he could be kind.
"He said nobody checks the place because it isn't a real restaurant anymore."
Mateo found the location.
An abandoned luxury railcar sat in a storage yard near the river.
Gabriel wanted Rory nowhere near it.
Rory agreed this time.
"I already helped you find him."
Gabriel kissed her forehead.
"Yes, you did."
He and Mateo entered the rail yard shortly before dawn.
Fog hung low over the tracks.
The dining car lights were on.
Inside, Sterling sat alone at a table set for three.
A plate of pancakes sat untouched in front of him.
His wounded shoulder was wrapped badly.
A gun rested near his right hand.
Gabriel stopped at the doorway.
"Who is the third plate for?"
Sterling looked at it.
"My daughter."
"She's not coming."
"I know."
Sterling looked older than he had two days earlier.
"Arthur told me he could ruin her life if I quit."
Gabriel remained standing.
"So you ruined Rory's instead."
Sterling flinched.
"I kept telling myself it was temporary."
"Hunger is temporary when you're the one eating."
Sterling stared at the pancakes.
He admitted taking Lena's grocery money whenever she refused to alter invoices.
He admitted cutting electricity to the motel room.
He admitted threatening foster care.
Each confession made Gabriel's anger harder to contain.
"Why leave the message?"
Sterling reached into his coat and placed a flash drive on the table.
"Because Arthur has one more person inside your company."
Gabriel did not move.
"Who?"
"Mateo."
Silence filled the railcar.
Gabriel looked toward the doorway.
Mateo stood behind him.
Sterling smiled weakly.
"Ask him why Daniel knew every safe house."
Mateo's face did not change.
Gabriel's hand moved slowly toward his weapon.
"Mateo?"
Mateo lifted both hands.
"He's lying."
Sterling pushed the flash drive forward.
"Watch it."
Gabriel inserted the drive into a secure tablet.
A video appeared.
Mateo was shown entering a parking garage and handing Daniel Cross an envelope.
The date was three weeks earlier.
Gabriel looked at Mateo.
Mateo's eyes filled with anger.
"That envelope was cash."
"For what?"
"Information."
Mateo stepped closer.
"I knew Daniel was dirty."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know how deep it went."
Sterling laughed.
"Convenient."
Then a red laser dot appeared on Sterling's chest.
Gabriel saw it first.
"Down!"
The window shattered.
Sterling fell backward.
A rifle shot echoed across the yard.
Mateo chased the shooter while Gabriel dropped beside Sterling.
Blood spread across Sterling's shirt.
Sterling grabbed Gabriel's wrist.
"Arthur has a second ledger."
"Where?"
Sterling struggled to breathe.
"Your father's grave."
His grip loosened.
For the first time, Sterling Mercer looked truly terrified of dying.
"Tell my daughter I was sorry."
Gabriel stared at him.
"You tell her yourself if you live."
Sirens approached through the fog.
May you like
Sterling closed his eyes.
And Gabriel did not know whether the man who had starved Rory would survive long enough to face her in court.
