AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tomorrow we’ll bury him, and that will be difficult.” Signora Esposito sighed. “His men are taking it very hard.”
“They’re already jockeying for position.”
“You’re the King of Palermo. Thecapo di tutti capi, without question.”
“Yes.” Franco finished his anisette.
“By the way, I know you killed Roberto.”
“What?” Franco wasn’t sure he heard her correctly.
“I don’t believe your story, about Don Bruno’s men. You killed Roberto.”
Franco made himself look offended. “What a thing to say! Of course I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.” Signora Esposito sipped her anisette. “I know you did because I know you so well. You don’t know me as well. If you did, you would know I just poisoned you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s in your anisette. You’ll feel it soon, its effects.”
Franco snorted, certain she was kidding. She had to be. “That’s not possible.”
“Yes, it is. It’s time.”
“For what?”
“Time for you to go. You killed Roberto, and you have to die for that. It’s bad enough to kill your brother’s wife, but it’s far worse to kill yourbrother. What would your mother say?”
Franco thought she might be losing her mind. “My mother?”
“She wouldn’t allow it. She would regret having favored you, as I do. She would punish you. So I’m punishing you.”
Franco felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He broke into a sweat.
“I heard the oath you made that night to the men, when you were trying to get them on your side. You swore loyalty to them. They believed you, but it was a lie. You even betrayed your brother’s loyalty. You were never loyal to anyone but yourself.” Signora Esposito glared at him, her ferocity undimmed by age. “And I’ve been a fool to be loyal to you.”
Franco rose, unsteady.
“You can’t live on, after killing your twin. Your soul is dead. So I’m doing you a favor.”
Franco’s stomach cramped so hard he doubled over. His body began to shake.
“Now listen.” Signora Esposito stood up, gathering her robe. “I’ll offer you one last chance. Confess you killed Roberto, and I’ll give you the antidote.”
“The... antidote?” Franco asked, barely able to speak. Agony twisted his gut.
“I’ll save your life if you tell me the truth. Did you do it or not?”
“I... did it,” Franco managed to say. Pain wracked his entire body. “Give me... the antidote.”
“Iknewit.”
“Give me—”
“There is no antidote.” Signora Esposito folded her arms. “I lied.”
Franco collapsed to the floor, writhing. “Why...”
