CHAP 17 — THE COUNTERFEIT PEACE
Six months passed.
The city calmed.
Too much.
Mave noticed first.
Shipping irregularities returned.
Not theft.
Something subtler.
Cargo was being deliberately routed through ports that increased costs.
No one benefited financially.
That meant money was not the goal.
Delay was.
“Somebody wants vessels stationary,” Mave said.
Vincent studied the map.
“Why?”
“To create predictable locations.”
Leo stopped smiling.
“Targets.”
They investigated.
The pattern connected to one surviving Carmine lieutenant.
Rocco Santini.
The captain who had walked out when Vincent separated the organization.
Rocco had inherited Carmine’s remaining network.
But he wasn’t trying to rebuild it.
He wanted revenge.
Specifically against Mave.
She had become the symbol of the Costa collapse.
Rocco released a statement through intermediaries.
The secretary destroyed the family.
Vincent read it.
Mave rolled her eyes.
“He needs new material.”
“You’re not taking this seriously.”
“I am.”
“You’re making jokes.”
“I can multitask.”
Security increased.
Mave hated it.
But this time Vincent asked first.
“Four people?”
“Two.”
“Three.”
“Two and Leo.”
Leo protested.
“I have an actual job.”
Mave smiled.
“Congratulations. You’re security.”
Rocco’s real move came at the annual pediatric-wing charity dinner.
The same event.
The same Plaza.
One year after the stranger had first watched Mave.
She considered not attending.
Then changed her mind.
“I’m done giving ballrooms psychological significance.”
Vincent stared.
“That may be the most Mave sentence ever spoken.”
She wore midnight blue again.
Deliberately.
Vincent noticed.
“Same color.”
“Different dress.”
“I noticed.”
“Of course you did.”
This time she stood beside Vincent from the beginning.
Not behind a pillar.
Not as his secretary.
As chairwoman of Vale-Costa.
The mayor approached.
Vincent smiled.
Mave whispered:
“Shake his hand, smile for the cameras, leave by eleven.”
Vincent looked at her.
“You’ve been waiting a year to say that.”
“Absolutely.”
Then she saw the stranger.
Near the mahogany doors.
Silver hair.
Scar.
Her heart jumped.
Gabriel.
He smiled.
No danger.
Just history.
Then his smile vanished.
He looked behind Mave.
Vincent saw the change.
So did she.
Neither needed an order.
They turned together.
A waiter was moving toward them.
Too quickly.
Leo intercepted.
The man ran.
Security stopped him before he reached the doors.
Inside his jacket was a phone.
Not a weapon.
The screen displayed a live video.
Elena Vale entering her apartment.
Mave went cold.
Rocco wasn’t at the Plaza.
The ballroom was the distraction.
Vincent looked at her.
“Mave—”
“Call Mom.”
No answer.
Gabriel was already moving.
They reached Elena’s building eight minutes later.
The apartment door was open.
Empty.
On the table sat a black envelope.
Inside:
THE VALES TOOK COSTA FROM US.
NOW I TAKE THE LAST VALE.
Mave stared.
Vincent’s face became lethal.
She touched his hand.
“No old way.”
He looked at her.
She repeated:
“No old way.”
Vincent nodded.
May you like
Together.
Again.
