Page 81 of Burned in Stone
“Not from the outside cameras.”
We watch as Gabriel and Caruso head to the back of the building. They’re gone for ten minutes. When they come back, two other men are with them—wearing maintenance uniforms.
“Those are the guys from the other footage,” I say. “The ones who cut the sprinkler lines.”
“And we can finally see their faces,” Cash adds.
Josie’s typing notes on her phone. “This is premeditation. Clear conspiracy. Keep watching.”
Gabriel’s doing most of the talking, gesturing. Caruso just listens, face expressionless. Then he nods once, pulls out an envelope, hands it to Gabriel.
“Payment,” Cash breathes. “That’s fucking payment for services rendered.”
Gabriel takes the envelope, looks at the cash inside, nods. Then they all shake hands.
“We have it,” Josie says. “Federal conspiracy charges. RICO charges. This ties Gabriel and Summit directly to organized crime.” She’s already pulling up contacts on her phone. “This is huge. This could bring down the whole operation.”
“What happens now?” I ask.
“Now I make calls.” Josie stands, phone already to her ear. “The FBI has been trying to build a case against Caruso for years. They’re going to be all over this.”
She steps out of the chapel and calls for Stone, then immediately starts talking rapidly to whoever answered her call.
Cash and I sit in stunned silence for a moment.
“Gabriel’s going to get arrested, isn’t he?” I whisper, not quite believing it.
Cash moves closer, hand resting on my thigh. “Yeah. He’s done, angel.”
I let out a relieved laugh just as the chapel door opens. Stone and Josie walk in together, and Stone’s face carries that particular satisfaction of a man who’s been waiting months for vindication.
“Show me,” Stone says without preamble.
We walk them through the footage—Caruso arriving, meeting with Gabriel, the Summit employees, the payment. Stone’s expression gets darker and more satisfied with each frame.
“I always thought Hawk was over the top with the number of cameras he puts everywhere. But this...” Stone’s voice is steel wrapped in velvet. “Months of these fuckers trying to squeeze this town dry. And now we have them dead to rights.”
Josie’s already pulling up contacts on her phone. “I’m giving this to our local guys now. But I need you to send me the raw footage so I can forward it to my contact with the Feds.” She starts typing rapidly. “They’re going to move fast on this.”
“Good.” Stone crosses his arms. “Send them everything. Every frame, every angle. I want Summit buried so deep they need a shovel to find daylight.”
“On it,” Cash says as Josie steps away, phone to her ear.
I look up at Stone as Cash starts compiling footage. “So that’s it? We just wait for the FBI to pick them up?”
“Pretty much,” Stone confirms. “But we also need to stay alert. Desperate people do stupid things. So, this isn’t over until they’re all behind bars.”
The chapel door bangs open. Bones fills the doorway, face tight.
“We’ve got a problem at the front gate.”
Stone’s expression doesn’t change, but the air in the room shifts. “What kind of problem?”
“Gabriel just pulled up with two of his cop buddies. He’s drunk off his ass and demanding to see Mercy.”
Every muscle in my body locks up. Cash’s hand finds mine immediately, squeezing.
“How drunk?” Stone asks.
