Chapter 17 - The Ghost and the Thief
Sebastian chose an abandoned church in Queens.
Maybe he thought the symbolism would amuse me.
I arrived with Victor.
Mateo remained outside.
Sebastian sat alone in the first pew.
No bodyguards.
No attorneys.
He looked tired.
Not frightened.
“You got old,” he said.
“So did you.”
“I heard Elena is awake.”
I wanted to tear the calm from his face.
Instead, I sat three pews behind him.
“Why did you keep her alive?”
“You already know.”
“Say it.”
“She was leverage.”
“My wife was a person.”
“To you.”
He turned.
“To people like us, everyone becomes leverage eventually.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“That’s why you never understood me.”
Sebastian smiled faintly.
“You were better at being The Ghost than I ever was.”
“You were never The Ghost.”
“I used your name for nineteen years.”
“You used the fear.”
I looked at him.
“You never earned the loyalty.”
His smile disappeared.
“What do you want?”
“The evidence against Beltran.”
“What do I get?”
“A courtroom.”
He laughed.
“That’s your offer?”
“It’s more than Elena received.”
Sebastian studied me.
“You really changed.”
“I became a father.”
“That made you weak.”
“No.”
I stood.
“It gave me something you’ll never understand.”
He reached beneath his coat.
Victor shifted.
Sebastian slowly removed a small flash drive.
“Beltran ordered Elena’s crash.”
“I know.”
“She also ordered the shooter at Cordova’s construction site.”
“Why?”
“To kill Rafael, Santiago, Renata, and you at once.”
My jaw tightened.
“She wanted the entire problem erased.”
“Correct.”
“What about Maurice?”
Sebastian smiled.
“Ask his mother.”
He handed me the drive.
I did not take it.
“Where’s Maurice?”
“Safe.”
“With you?”
“For now.”
“And Emmett?”
For the first time, Sebastian looked ashamed.
“My grandson is an idiot.”
“He nearly killed my daughter.”
“I know.”
“You protected him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Sebastian looked toward the altar.
“Because family makes hypocrites of us all.”
I almost laughed.
“You imprisoned mine for nineteen years.”
“And I am telling you how to destroy the woman who ordered her death.”
“No.”
“You want Beltran free?”
“I want both of you finished.”
His eyes hardened.
“Then why would I help you?”
“Because Evelyn is already going after Emmett.”
That got him.
Sebastian stood.
“What?”
“She needs him silent.”
“You’re lying.”
“Call him.”
Sebastian did.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
His face changed.
Victor’s phone rang.
Mateo.
“We found Emmett’s car.”
“Where?”
“Near the East River.”
“Emmett?”
“Gone.”
Sebastian stared at me.
For the first time, the man who had built an empire using my name looked afraid.
I took the flash drive from his hand.
“Now we work together.”
“Until when?”
“Until everyone’s alive.”
“And after?”
May you like
I looked at him.
“After that, you answer for Elena.”
