Chapter 10 - INTO THE NIGHT
Gabriel reached into his internal suit jacket pocket and pulled out a thick, black leather wallet. Without counting, he pulled out a stack of hundred-dollar bills and set them flat on the laminate table beside the white bowl.
He stood up from the cracked red booth, his posture straight, his broad shoulders squared once more. The fragile, dying man who had walked through the rain thirty minutes ago was gone; in his place stood a leader who had found a reason to survive.
He looked down at the white ceramic bowl of stracotto one last time, then looked into Norah’s brown eyes.
"Thank you for the meal, Norah," Gabriel said, his gravelly voice carrying a warmth reserved only for her. "Keep studying. The world needs people who know how to heal."
He turned on his heel and walked toward the diner entrance. Leo fell in step right behind him, followed by the rest of the armed bodyguards, their heavy boots squeaking against the linoleum floor.
Leo opened the heavy glass front door. The cool, wet air swept into the diner once more, bringing the scent of rain and asphalt.
Gabriel paused on the threshold, looking back over his shoulder at Norah, who stood alone near the center booth, watching him through a blur of silent tears. A subtle, silent understanding passed between them across the dim dining room—an unbreakable bond rooted in an unspoken name and a shared taste of home.
Gabriel stepped out into the pouring rain. The bodyguards closed the door behind him, cutting off the draft.
May you like
Outside, the three black SUVs shifted into gear, their halogen lights illuminating the wet street as they pulled away from the curb, their red taillights vanishing into the South End downpour.
Inside Benny’s Diner, the storm continued to beat against the rain-covered windows. Norah walked slowly back to the booth, looking down at the steaming bowl of stew and the stack of bills on the table. The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead, casting a warm glow over the cracked red vinyl, as the quiet diner returned to peace, guarded by a secret that would remain safe forever.
