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“Remember that notebook I told you about a while back?”
“The one Val found? It was Stefano’s, right?”
“Yes, that’s the one. Well, he had the letter M written through it with these little tally marks. When Val was kidnapped, she overheard something about this person named Mikey who Stefano was terrified of. We couldn’t figure out who it was. Well, when Elio was in the United States for a meeting with Cooper Industries, the owner had mentioned he won’t do business with the Coppolas anymore because their contact,Mikey, had burned them one too many times. Vinni asked around, and sure enough, Mikey was making dirty deals and funneling money elsewhere. Elio asked me to bring it to the uncles then to wait and see what happened. After I left their office, I eavesdropped, and guess who Mikey really is?”
“Who?”
“Nonna Rosa.”
“What?” He covered his mouth.
“Yeah, you see, Mikey was your nonno’s name, one he used when he did business, anyway. His actual name was Michelangelo Coppola, right?”
“Micco, for short, but yes.” He looked at me oddly then seemed to make the connection.
“Makes sense that she’d use her husband’s nickname. She’s a woman living in a man’s world, after all.” I shrugged. “Oh, and one more thing. Anna’s dead.”
“When? How? Where?” His head was spinning.
“Today, drowned, hot tub.” I pulled out my lipstick and started to apply it. “She threatened me, so I killed her.”
“You killed her?”
“Yeah.” I nodded and went back to slicking the color across my lower lip. “She needed to go.”
“You really do fit this lifestyle.”
I beamed, as I went to the door. I’d decided a little retail therapy would just cap this day right off.
I grabbed my purse and opened the door to find Nonna Rosa staring back at me.
“Jesus,” I half laughed, “you just kind of appear, don’t you?”
“I would like you to join me.”
Ah, no.
“I have plans to head into town.” I wasn’t about to waste the rest of my high with her.
“I have something to share with you. It won’t take too long.”
“Where are we going?”
“To our church.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, now. My car is waiting. I promise it will be worth the trip.”
I looked back at Ugo, whose face was a picture of confusion, and he shook his head for me not to go, but Nonna stepped forward and said, “It won’t take long,” and urged me to follow her.
She said nothing, just looked out the window as if enjoying the sights beyond the tinted glass. I caught her driver watching me in the mirror a few times, and I stared back, making him look away first. I wasn’t scared of him, or any of them anymore, really.
Finally, after a twenty-minute drive through the busy streets of Rome, we stopped in front of a church.
The driver opened Nonna’s door, and the soldier who rode in the front seat opened mine.
“All right, you got me here. What’s going on?”
