Chapter 9 - THE FRIEND WHO STOOD BESIDE EVERY FUNERAL
Salvatore Grasso did not deny it.
That frightened Elias more than a confession.
The seventy-four-year-old man looked around the hospital lobby.
Then slowly removed his coat.
“No weapons.”
Marco searched him.
Nothing.
Elias stepped forward.
“Tell me he’s lying.”
Salvatore looked at Lorenzo.
“He isn’t.”
Adeline felt Claire grip her hand.
Elias stared at the man who had attended every birthday, funeral, and family dinner of his life.
“Why?”
Salvatore lowered his head.
“Because your father wanted out.”
“Out of what?”
“The old organization.”
Elias frowned.
“Roberto wanted legitimate shipping. Legitimate construction. No extortion. No narcotics.”
“That sounds familiar.”
“You finished what he started.”
Salvatore smiled sadly.
“That was always his hope.”
“Then why kill people?”
“Because men like Vincent would never allow the transition.”
Lorenzo stepped forward.
“So you eliminated anyone who threatened Roberto.”
“Yes.”
“Including my mother?”
Adeline looked at Claire.
Salvatore shook his head.
“No.”
“Maria Ferrante?”
“No.”
“Daniel Rossi? Peter Calvano? Thomas Reeves?”
Salvatore’s silence answered.
Elias’s expression became dangerous.
“You killed three family captains.”
“They were planning to murder your father.”
“So you decided you were judge and executioner.”
“I protected this family.”
“No.”
Elias’s voice was quiet.
“You protected your idea of it.”
Salvatore looked older suddenly.
“I loved your father.”
“That doesn’t excuse murder.”
“No.”
For the first time, Salvatore sounded defeated.
“It doesn’t.”
Vincent laughed from where officers restrained him.
“Look at all this morality.”
Elias turned.
Vincent smiled.
“You think Salvatore is the monster? Ask Claire who paid him.”
Claire went pale.
Adeline noticed.
“Mom?”
Claire shook her head.
“Don’t.”
Vincent laughed harder.
“Tell her.”
Adeline stepped away from her mother.
“Tell me what?”
Claire began crying.
“Addie…”
“What did you do?”
Salvatore closed his eyes.
Claire finally whispered:
“I gave Salvatore information.”
“What information?”
“Names.”
Adeline stared at her.
“Whose names?”
“People working with Vincent.”
“You knew Salvatore would kill them?”
“No.”
The word came too quickly.
Claire corrected herself.
“Not at first.”
Adeline’s stomach turned.
“And later?”
Claire looked broken.
“Later I suspected.”
“But you kept helping him.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
Adeline laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Everyone keeps saying that right before telling me another terrible thing.”
Elias moved toward her.
She stepped away.
“I need air.”
He followed her outside.
Cold morning wind swept across the parking lot.
Adeline wrapped her arms around herself.
“My mother is alive.”
“Yes.”
“She lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“My aunt lied.”
“Yes.”
“Vincent framed me.”
“Yes.”
“Your father had a secret son with my mother.”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“And somehow the strangest part of my week is still that you announced I’m having your child.”
Elias almost smiled.
Then his face softened.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For dragging you into my family’s war.”
“You didn’t.”
She looked down at the signet ring.
“I was apparently born in it.”
Elias touched her hand.
She did not pull away.
“Adeline.”
“What?”
“The part about marrying you was strategy.”
Her heart sank more than she wanted it to.
“I know.”
“But the kiss wasn’t.”
She looked up.
Elias’s gaze held hers.
Before she could answer, Marco burst through the doors.
“Boss.”
Elias turned.
“What?”
“Vincent escaped.”
“What?”
“Ambulance transfer. Two officers were compromised.”
Elias cursed.
Marco held out a phone.
“There’s more.”
A video had arrived.
Vincent stood inside an unfamiliar room.
Beside him sat a young woman tied to a chair.
Lorenzo’s wife.
Vincent smiled into the camera.
“Bring me the ledger by sunset.”
He moved aside.
Behind the woman was a crib.
A baby began crying.
“And bring Lorenzo.”
May you like
Vincent’s smile disappeared.
“Or his wife and daughter become the last Ferrantes I ever bury.”
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