He is smiling.
"Real estate is slow on Tuesdays. Thought I'd swing by."
Alessandro says nothing.
"I lasted four days. What did I miss?"
Nobody answers.
He looks at me.
Two operators recognizing each other through the work. Luca does it faster than Matteo did. Four seconds.
"You're him."
"I am."
"You're the cop."
"I am."
"You're the brother."
"I am."
"Shit."
The first thing he has said that is not banter.
Not surprised. More like a man who has been carrying a weight so long he forgot he was carrying it.
He looks at Alessandro.
"How long have I been the only one in this family who could do this work?"
"Long enough."
"And you find me a brother who has been a Ranger and a cop for fifteen of those fifteen." He looks back at me. "He's keeping the badge?"
"He is."
"Smartest thing this family has done."
He extends his hand.
I take it.
"I like you, Sean Donovan."
"I like you, Luca Moretti."
Luca holds the grip one beat longer than a handshake. Drops the hand. Turns back to Alessandro.
"How are we taking her back? What’s the extraction plan?"
Matteo's phoneis already out.
The door to the foyer opens. A man in a gray hoodie and glasses, tablet in hand, chewing something from his pocket.
