Chapter 9 - The Last Dinner
Arthur Vance invited Elena to dinner.
Public restaurant.
Downtown Baltimore.
Table twelve.
The symbolism was deliberate.
Elena went.
Vincent hated the plan.
But Rebecca’s agents were listening.
Arthur arrived precisely at eight.
“You look like your father,” he told Elena.
“You had him killed.”
Arthur sighed.
“Thomas was an honorable man. Honor can become selfish when it endangers everyone around you.”
“You mean when it endangers people like you.”
He smiled.
“Vincent has influenced you.”
“No. My father did.”
Arthur’s expression cooled.
“Elena, men like Vincent do not become good because they fall in love.”
Her heart stumbled.
Arthur noticed.
“Ah. He hasn’t said it yet.”
Elena refused to react.
Arthur continued.
“Vincent will eventually choose his empire over you.”
A voice came from behind him.
“No.”
Vincent approached.
Arthur’s security moved.
Federal agents moved faster.
Rebecca entered from the opposite side.
Arthur remained seated.
Vincent stopped beside Elena.
“I already chose.”
Arthur laughed.
“You think legitimacy will accept you?”
“I don’t care.”
“You will.”
“No.” Vincent looked at Elena. “I spent my life inheriting wars from dead men. I’m finished.”
Arthur’s smile disappeared.
Rebecca placed recording equipment on the table.
Arthur finally understood.
His conversation with Elena had been recorded.
His admissions about Thomas.
The trafficking routes.
Paul.
The murders.
Enough to break the conspiracy open.
Arthur reached beneath his jacket.
Elena saw it first.
Again.
Just like the west wall.
“Vincent!”
A gunshot exploded.
Vincent pulled Elena down.
Agents fired.
Arthur fell.
For several seconds, Elena lay beneath Vincent, staring into his eyes.
“Are you hit?”
“No.”
“You?”
“No.”
He exhaled.
Around them, the restaurant erupted into shouting.
Elena began laughing.
Vincent stared.
“What?”
“Table twelve.”
He looked at the number.
Then laughed too.
May you like
It was the first time Elena heard the sound fully.
And she thought she could spend a lifetime trying to hear it again.
