If I were you, I’d focus my energy on that little problem. As you’ll discover, they’re a good deal less charitable than I.”
Gabby blinks, once, then looks at me.
Briggs steps forward and says, “If that’s all you wanted to discuss, Mr. Meyers, we’ll go ahead and take the trucks now.”
Gabby lights the cigarette, inhales. “The keys are in them.”
Briggs and Hull start toward the stairs leading down to the workshop. Gabby watches them go, silent.
Carlos stays behind.
Once they’re gone, I turn to Gabby. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Gabby doesn’t answer. He puts the cigarette to his lips, his hands no longer shaking, then gets up and walks to the window and looks out over the lot.
I ask him again.
Gabby turns and motions to Carlos standing against the far wall. “Who the fuck is this?”
I tell him.
“Why’s he still here?”
“He was told to kill me if things went bad.”
Gabby nods, takes another drag off the cigarette, and turns toward the bookshelves. “Do you want a drink, Jake?”
I shake my head. “I want to know what’s going on. Diane is still down there.”
“We’ll get to her later, don’t worry.”
He takes two glasses and a bottle of scotch from the shelf. I watch him pour a drink. Everything about him is different, his body language, his voice, even the look on his face. All of it strong and steady.
I step closer, whisper, “It was an act, wasn’t it?”
Gabby lifts the glass and finishes the drink in one swallow. He doesn’t say anything.
“What are you planning?”
He sets the glass on the coffee table then opens one of the side drawers and takes out a silver handgun with a black suppressor on the barrel.
Carlos sees it too late.
Gabby fires one shot.
The bullet catches Carlos just beneath his nose, and a mist of blood fans out across the wall behind him. He falls backward, hitting the ground hard, his legs drumming against the wood floors.
I look over at Gabby, and for a moment I can’t speak. When I find my voice, it comes out loud.
“What is wrong with you? They have Diane.”
Gabby drops the gun on the chair, then grabs his glass and the bottle of scotch off the coffee table and pours another drink. “You sure you don’t want one of these?”
I walk around the couch to where Carlos is lying. It only takes one look to know he’s dead.
When I turn back, Gabby is standing at the window, sipping his drink, watching the lot below.
“Now they’re going to kill her.”
Gabby, still staring out the window, says, “It’s time.”
“Time? What the hell are you—”
He turns and looks past me toward the hallway. “Get everyone down to the basement. No one leaves.”
I hear movement behind me, and I turn around.
Mathew and Alek Pavel are standing in the hallway.
– 43 –
Mathew Pavel walks past me and down the stairs. Alek stays behind. I look down and see the bandage on his hand.
He notices and smiles.
“Send up a couple of the guys on your way out,” Gabby says. “We’ll finish this tonight.”
Alek stares at me. “What about this one?”
“He’s with me,” Gabby says.
The smile drops. “We didn’t discuss this.”
“That’s because it’s not negotiable.”
“Everything is negotiable.”
Gabby shakes his head. “No, he’s not part of this, and he’s leaving.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I say. “Not without Diane.”
Alek looks past me to Gabby and frowns. “What is all this? We had an arrangement.”
“We still do. Nothing’s changed.”
Alek doesn’t say anything else. He stares at Gabby for a moment longer before pushing past me toward the stairs.
I turn to Gabby. “What’s—”
Gabby swings. His fist catches me under the jaw. It’s not even close to as hard as Gabby can hit, but the blow still has enough behind it to snap my head back and send a cold jolt of pain all the way down my spine.
I brace myself against the chair. Gabby comes closer, fists clenched.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he says.
I reach up and touch my jaw.
“I’m doing everything I can to keep you alive, and you’re doing all you can to fuck it up.” He points one finger at me. “From here on, you keep your mouth shut. Got it?”
“Why are they here?”
Gabby looks past me at the empty doorway then reaches for his drink. “It’s under control.”
“Under control?” I stammer over the words. “What—”
“We found out where they were this afternoon,” Gabby says. “But after you called and told me about the diamonds, I thought it would be better to talk to them.”
“They want to