Chapter 13 - The Accountant at Closing Time
Martin Vale looked more like a retired professor than a man who had just entered a dark restaurant holding the most dangerous object in the room.
He was sixty-two, silver-haired, and impeccably dressed.
Leonardo stared at the pocket watch.
"Put it on the bar."
Martin smiled faintly.
"You still give orders before asking questions."
"Put it down."
Martin obeyed.
Dante moved to the side, cutting off the kitchen exit.
Clara remained beside Simon.
Elias watched Martin with open suspicion.
"You took it from Leo's safe."
Martin nodded.
"I did."
"For Victor?"
"No."
Leonardo laughed without humor.
"Everyone keeps saying no right before explaining something worse."
Martin looked at Clara.
"Gabriel warned me that might happen."
Clara's patience was gone.
"How many people did my husband recruit into his secret life?"
Martin considered the question.
"Fewer than Victor did."
"That is not an answer."
"Seven."
The number landed heavily.
Clara shook her head.
"Seven people knew he was alive?"
"Not at the same time."
"Most knew one piece."
"That was how Gabriel survived."
Clara pointed at the watch.
"Why steal it?"
Martin looked toward the front windows.
"Because Victor's attorney asked me for the safe code yesterday."
Leonardo's eyes narrowed.
"And you gave it to him?"
"A false one."
"Then I moved the watch before anyone else could."
Dante stepped closer.
"Why come here with it?"
Martin looked at Simon.
"Because this is where Gabriel told me to bring it if Clara ever opened Locker 3103."
Clara stared.
"How would you know I opened it?"
Martin smiled sadly.
"The locker sent a signal."
Elias blinked.
"Gabe wired a hundred-year-old locker to send a signal?"
"Not the locker."
"The plate behind it."
Leonardo rubbed one hand over his face.
"My brother spent too much time alone."
For the first time, Clara almost laughed.
Martin lifted his hands.
"The ring and the watch together open the archive."
"But once opened, the archive sends copies to three attorneys and one federal investigator."
Leonardo's expression changed.
"Automatic release?"
"Yes."
"So why hasn't Gabriel opened it himself?"
Martin looked at Clara.
"Because the ring has to be present."
Clara looked down at her hand.
Gabriel had left the final choice with her.
Or burdened her with it.
She still did not know which.
"Where is the archive?"
Martin hesitated.
"Under the old Falcone bank building on LaSalle."
Dante frowned.
"That building was sold."
"The vault was not."
Martin took a small paper from his pocket.
"Gabriel leased a records chamber beneath it through a holding company."
"This address gets us into the service level."
Leonardo looked at Clara.
"We can open it tonight."
She shook her head.
"No."
Everyone looked at her.
"Gabriel called me from somewhere he was not alone."
"If we open the archive, whoever is with him may know."
"I want him found first."
Leonardo nodded slowly.
"Agreed."
Martin seemed surprised.
"The evidence could end this."
Clara turned toward him.
"Evidence does not end anything if Gabriel disappears again."
Simon spoke quietly.
"There may be a way to find him."
All eyes turned.
He pointed to the photograph of Gabriel at the bar.
"He left a phone here."
"A cheap prepaid phone."
"I kept it in case he returned."
Dante's expression sharpened.
"Where?"
Simon reached beneath the register and pulled out a small envelope.
Inside was an old black phone.
The battery was dead.
Dante connected it to a charger behind the bar.
After several minutes, the screen lit.
There were no contacts.
No messages.
Only one saved voice memo.
Clara pressed play.
Gabriel's voice filled the empty restaurant.
"Simon, if Clara hears this, then I failed to keep the old world away from her."
Clara closed her eyes.
"There is a place on Lower Wacker where the river noise covers everything."
"A maintenance room under the east bridge."
"If I ever need to meet someone and cannot trust a phone, that is where I go."
The recording ended.
Dante immediately moved toward the door.
Leonardo stopped him.
"Wait."
Clara looked at him.
"Why?"
Leonardo pointed toward Martin.
"Because Gabriel left that message six months ago."
"Someone wanted us to find this phone now."
Martin frowned.
"You think it is a trap."
"I think everything tonight has arrived too neatly."
Clara looked at the phone.
Then at Simon.
Then at Martin.
She understood.
"Who knew the phone was here?"
Simon answered, "Only me."
A soft sound came from the kitchen.
Everyone turned.
The rear door was swinging slowly shut.
Dante ran toward it.
He returned thirty seconds later.
"Someone was listening."
Clara's phone buzzed.
May you like
A text from an unknown number appeared.
COME ALONE TO THE EAST BRIDGE IF YOU WANT TO SEE GABRIEL ALIVE.
