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When she’d regained her composure, the Widow said, “That’s quite an accusation, Signor Rosolini.”
“It gets worse. We also believe Fausto was responsible for the death of our father.”
She stared at me in disbelief. “His own brother.”
“Yes.”
“He was your father’s consigliere for – what was it – 20 years?”
“Twenty-five, ma’am.”
“And you think he’s a modern-day Claudius?”
I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.
“…a what, ma’am?”
“Not a what, a who. Claudius, the uncle of Hamlet – the play by Shakespeare? Claudius killed his brother the king and stole his throne. You really should brush up on the classics, Signor Rosolini.”
The schoolmarm bit was getting old.
“Maybe after we stop this particular pot from boiling over, Signora.”
The Widow narrowed her eyes. “Was that sarcasm again, Signor Rosolini?”
“…a little,” I admitted.
She stared at me for a second longer, then gave a brief snort.
“At least you’re honest. I’d love to introduce you to my granddaughter – I think you’d hit it off fabulously. IF she didn’t try to cut your balls off.” The Widow smirked the tiniest bit. “She is my granddaughter, after all. However, I find it incredibly difficult to believe that Fausto would do such a thing. What proof do you have?”
One of the men behind the Widow’s throne – a guy with salt-and-pepper hair – reacted to something in his suit jacket. He pulled out his phone like he was getting a text or call on vibrate. He quietly descended the rear of the dais and left via a door in the back of the room.
I didn’t think anything of it –
At the time.
“My new sister-in-law saw my cousin Aurelio with the Agrellas a few hours before the massacre.”
The Widow raised a single eyebrow. “And?”
From her reaction, I realized Niccolo had been right: our evidence was flimsy at best.
“She said that when Mezzasalma kidnapped her, he suggested they would be visiting Fausto’s estate.”
“This sister-in-law sounds like a busy woman,” the Widow said drily. “Did Mezzasalma mention Fausto by name?”
“…no, ma’am,” I conceded.
“So you saw your cousin at a meeting – ”
“My sister-in-law,” I interrupted.
Both the Widow’s eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
“My sister-in-law saw Aurelio, not me.”
“And you thought it necessary to interrupt me to clarify that point?” she asked haughtily.
