Chapter 11: The Last Move Sterling Made
Damian Sterling called Gabriel directly at eleven that night.
Gabriel was in the front room of the brownstone.
He looked at the name on the screen for one moment, then answered and put it on speaker.
Marco was across the room.
He didn't move.
"Romano." Sterling's voice was measured, controlled, the voice of a man who had spent thirty years making other people feel that he was the calmest person in any conversation.
"I think we should talk."
"We're talking."
"In person.
Neutral ground.
I have a proposal that I think resolves this situation for both of us."
"I'm not interested in your proposals, Damian."
A pause.
"You should hear this one.
It involves information about your brother."
Gabriel's eyes moved to Marco.
Marco's hand went to his phone.
"Go ahead," Gabriel said.
"Not on the phone.
In person.
Tomorrow morning.
I'll come to you — wherever you choose.
I just want one hour."
"You want one hour to make a deal before your man Reeves finishes talking to federal authorities."
Silence.
"You knew about Reeves," Sterling said.
"I know about all of it.
The convoy.
The forged order.
Vail's affidavit.
The prior incidents." Gabriel kept his voice even.
"And I know about Daniel."
The silence this time was longer.
"Then you know," Sterling said carefully, "that I have information you don't have yet.
About who actually carried out the operation.
Names.
A chain of evidence that Reeves doesn't have access to, because Reeves wasn't in the room when it was planned."
"You're offering to give me the people who kjlled my brother."
"I'm offering to have a conversation."
"In exchange for what?"
"A path out of this that doesn't end with me in federal custody." Sterling's voice had lost some of its control.
Not much.
Enough.
"I'm a practical man, Gabriel.
I made a serious mistake escalating the way I did.
I'm willing to accept consequences.
I'm not willing to accept consequences that are disproportionate to my actual involvement."
"You ordered my brother's death."
"I ordered pressure on your organization.
What happened to Daniel was an operational decision made by people I employed.
There's a legal distinction there."
"There isn't," Gabriel said.
"But I appreciate you explaining your thinking."
"Romano—"
"Here's what's going to happen, Damian.
Reeves will finish his statement tomorrow.
Hargrove will deliver the full package to the federal contact by noon.
You'll be contacted by federal authorities before the end of the week.
At that point, your attorneys will advise you to cooperate, and you will cooperate, because the alternative is worse." Gabriel paused.
"If you have additional information about Daniel, you can provide it as part of your cooperation agreement.
That's the only path that exists."
"You're not leaving me any room."
"You didn't leave Daniel any room."
The line was quiet.
"I could make things very difficult for the woman," Sterling said.
His voice had gone flat.
"The accountant.
She's the linchpin of your witness case.
Without her identification of Reeves, the chain breaks."
Gabriel looked at Marco.
Marco was already moving toward the door.
"If anything happens to Mia Carver," Gabriel said, "every piece of evidence we have goes to federal authorities within the hour, along with a detailed account of this phone call.
You'll have no cooperation agreement, no negotiating position, and no path out." He kept his voice completely calm.
"And Damian — I will make it my personal mission to ensure that every charge available under federal law is pursued to its maximum extent.
Every one."
Silence.
"Do you understand me?" Gabriel said.
A long pause.
"Yes," Sterling said.
"Good.
Don't call me again."
He ended the call.
Marco appeared in the doorway.
"Team is already on her floor."
"She's fine?"
"Checked thirty seconds ago.
She's asleep."
Gabriel set the phone down on the table.
Sterling had made his last move and it had been a threat he didn't have the position to carry out.
That was how it ended with men like Sterling — not with a dramatic confrontation, but with a phone call at eleven at night where they finally heard their own voice running out of options.
"It's done," Marco said quietly.
"Almost," Gabriel said.
May you like
He looked at the phone on the table.
"Almost," he said again.
