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“What? Who?”
The door in front of me opens. On the other side is a white gloved elderly black gentleman with a big beard. He’s wearing the suit the commission provide to all to commissioners. “Falcone,” I say, nodding at him as I sweep away my thoughts of yesterday. It’s time to find out what my tomorrow will bring.
“It’s time,” he says, stepping to one side so I can walk in.
I stride past him to the empty seat at the boardroom table. Giovanni takes one look at me and his face drains of color. “Nico,” he says, his voice weak. All the bluster has gone from him. “What are you doing here?”
“You arranged the meeting for today, brother.” I sit back in my seat, feeling the eyes of the commission upon me. “Did you think I wouldn’t attend?”
“But why bother to come? You have no wife.” Even he sounds like he’s no longer sure he believes those words. His eyes dart around the room, like a rat that suddenly realizes it’s walked straight into a trap.
“On the contrary,” I say, nodding to Falcone. “I provided the marriage certificate on my way in. I believe it has been fully authenticated.”
“You can’t have done. It’s a fake. It has to be.”
Falcone returns to his seat, sliding an envelope toward Giovanni. “It’s genuine all right,” Falcone tells him. “Feel free to have your lawyers take a look if you do not believe your brother.”
Giovanni opens the envelope, staring wide eyed at the cream sheet of paper inside. “But how?” he asks. “How did you get her to sign it?”
“How? When she’s locked up in the Moretti basement? Is that what you mean?”
His eyes dart from me to Falcone. He knows he’s caught in his own lies.
I smile. “She married me last night.”
He shakes his head wildly. “No, that’s bullshit. You’re making it up. You’re trying to trick me.”
Falcone holds up his hand. “The will was clear. The next Don of the Casella Casettifamiglia must be married and their wife must be with child. Thus far, you are both at stage one. That is the pure fact of the matter. Both of you are married. Nico, I believe you have something else for us.”
I reach into my jacket pocket and bring out the positive pregnancy test. I slide it into the middle of the table. “Completed in the presence of the commission’s official house doctor.”
Giovanni has stopped shaking his head. He’s reaching into his jacket, same as me. For one moment I’m expecting to see a pregnancy test. I’m almost relieved when he pulls out a gun and points it straight at my face.
“You’re going to shoot me in front of the commission?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest. “Have you gone completely insane?”
“You fucked me,” he says. “You asshole. You think you’ve won but I’ve still got more power than you. This is power, Nico. This gun is real power. Why shouldn’t I kill you and simply take the crown?”
He doesn’t get chance to say anything else. From the corner of the room, the guards are already moving. They were on their feet from the moment he reached for the weapon, awaiting Falcone’s nod. He’s just given it, pressing a button on the desk in front of him.
Giovanni’s chair jolts back. The gun fires, the bullet hitting the ceiling. He doesn’t get chance to adjust his aim. Four guards are on him a second later, dragging him out of the room, ignoring the threats he’s screaming at them.
The door slams and the noise cuts off like he’s already been killed. Falcone turns to face me. “By the rules of the commission, I declare you Don of the Casella famiglia. May you rule more wisely than your brother.”
There’s a murmur of agreement around the table as he finishes speaking.
“What happens to Giovanni?” I ask, thinking I already know the answer but wanting to be certain of his fate.
“Honor is all,” Falcone replies. “He brought a gun out at a commission meeting. He lied to the commission. He sullied the sanctity of a wedding certificate. He bribed a priest. He kidnapped your wife. He beats his own spouse. A pregnant woman was put at risk of serious harm. He will be tried and sentenced accordingly. Do you have any complaint?”
I don’t need to hear anything else. I nod to the room, getting to my feet. “I accept your judgment as Don of the Casella Casettifamiglia. Honor to you all.”
They nod back at me as I turn and walk out. I breathe out slowly as I head for the elevator. I take it down to the lobby and walk out onto the street. I’m surrounded by offices just like this one.
How many of the employees know the five families’ commission is in the middle of them? Enough power to bring down a government in one room.
And Giovanni thought he could bring out a gun in front of them and they would do nothing? His arrogance has finally done for him. And there was me thinking I was the impetuous one.
I get in the back of the waiting car. I sit back and light a cigar, letting the smoke drift lazily out the open window. I look out at the people on the sidewalk.
