His shoulders slump. “I didn’t mean it like that, Cipi.” He holds up the pawn and stares at it. “No matter how much time has passed you’re still the same kind-hearted person. Always feeling bad no matter how many people get slaughtered.”
Lucia paces the floor. “How does this keep happening? Someone has been able to get into our territory, turn off the cameras, and kill without any of us noticing.”
“Cipi should have the answer to that,” Matteo interrupts. “She’s the one who's working with the ex-FBI.” He leans against the wall. “Tell us boss what has the man discovered.”
I don’t reply.
“She’s still recovering, Matteo,” Lucia interrupts. “We’re dealing with someone who’s very smart and calculated.”
“I think she’s been recovering just fine with Dominic tending to her every need,” Matteo retorts.
I narrow my eyes. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“It means he’s been too busy fucking you to figure out who is trying to kill us all.”
“What?”
“Oh come on Cugina, don’t pretend you’re not fucking him. Gigi ran her mouth and told all of us,” Matteo shouts. “Is that the only reason why you suggested him because you knew he didn’t work for the feds any more. You missed the old sausage and wanted to ride it again?”
“Shut the fuck up, Matteo,” I snap.
His eyes flash. “Exactly.”
“Stop acting like you’re so innocent. You know ever since your breakup, you’ve been on the hunt for any panties you can get,” I snarl.
“Guys,” Lucia warns.
“Well, at least I do my panty hunting in my off hours, unlike you,” Matteo retorts.
“Anybody would be a fool to drop their panties for you, asshole,” I shout.
“At least I can get them and I don’t have to double back to the same one who left me because of what my family does.”
I snatch the pawn out of Salvatore’s hand and throw it at him.
Matteo ducks and laughs. “Real mature Cipi.”
“Fuck you.” I snap. “What I’ve discovered is that the killer is one of us. It has to be. Only someone in our circle would be able to hack into the security system and know everyone’s schedule to be able to slip in and out unnoticed.”
“That’s impossible,” Salvatore picks up the fallen chess piece. “It has to be one of the other families, like Valerio Neri or someone.”
“I checked Valerio out already. He didn’t do it. But whoever is responsible has some connection to the Marconi Family.”
“So you’re saying one of us did it?” Matteo cries.
“I didn’t say that.”
“How dare you accuse us when we have been loyal to your dumbass all these years,” Matteo taunts.
“Who the hell are you talking to right now?” I shout. “I didn’t accuse anyone of anything, Stunad. You think I want to believe the fact that someone in my family tried to kill me. I don’t want that.”
Matteo snatches up the paper. “Well maybe if Zio Vincenzo hadn’t slaughtered a whole family we wouldn’t be in this mess right now. This stanza proves it. The speaker in the poem is being confronted by a raven who’s haunting him. Just like the Marconi Family is haunting us right now. The killer is going to take our lives but wanted to torture us first for the crimes Zio Vincenzo did.”
Lucia tilts her head. “When the hell did you get so smart? You hated English class.”
“I did hate English class, but I didn’t hate Daniela Fachetti. She was an English buff and I had to woo her over by knowing the symbolism of every damn piece of literature we read. If only our fearless leader could use the same type of knowledge and find out who the fuck wants us dead.”
I narrow my eyes. “You’ve been getting a bit high and mighty for your own good, Cugino. You’ve been making decisions behind my back acting like the boss when you’re not in charge.”
