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“Has he gone to the store? Spoken with the proprietor or any witnesses?”
“Are you deaf?”
Gaetano tried another tack. “Have you heard from the victim’s family? Do we know who they are?”
“My patience has reached its end, sir.” The officer walked around the desk and took Gaetano by the arm. “Allow me to escort you off the premises.”
“I’m just trying to find out what’s going on.” Gaetano wrenched his arm free. “The second kidnapping might not have happened if the first one was solved. I’m trying to solve it, and you throw me out? This is Marshal Rosselli’s job, and yours. Why don’t you do it? Don’t you care?”
The officer propelled Gaetano outside, and the other officers started laughing.
“Why do you men think this is funny?” Gaetano struggled for a civil tongue. “I just spoke to mothers on the street. They think you don’t care. We must show them otherwise. These boys deserve justice.”
The officer began to pull Gaetano away, but he pleaded his case to thecarabinierias if before a judicial tribunal.
“We have laws for a reason, but the law cannot enforce itself. If you don’t enforce the law, there’s no justice for the kidnapped boys—or anyone else. Don’t you see? The purpose of law is to serve the common good. If laws are not enforced, society falls apart.Palermofalls apart.”
“Leave or I’ll arrest you!” The officer began to unhook handcuffs from his belt.
“Okay, I’ll go.” Gaetano noticed a crowd of families gathering aroundhim. They talked behind their hands about him, gawking and pointing. Some laughed.
He turned away.
Gaetano hurried to the Capodistrict, but he wasn’t going home. The streets were congested with families emerging for thepasseggiata, the evening stroll, happy and well-dressed like his family used to be. He kept his head down to avoid being recognized by his neighbors. He knew Maria would stay home, loath to stroll and socialize without him.
Gaetano entered the tobacconist’s shop, aromatic with smoke. Boxes of cigars in glass cases lined one side, and the other side had tin containers of loose tobacco. He excused his way past the customers to get to the counter, where the young clerk’s expression didn’t change, even though he recognized Gaetano. The clerk was the secret courier for the Beati Paoli.
“Young man, good evening, I hope you can help me,” Gaetano said.
“Good evening, sir,” the clerk said, with a professional smile. “How may I assist?”
“The other day, I bought the wrong cigars and I’d like to return them tonight, at eight o’clock.” Gaetano was saying that he needed another emergency meeting. “Will your manager be here then?”
“I don’t know. That’s very short notice. I may not be able to reach him in time.”
“I understand, but it can’t be helped.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. You have my apologies. Thank you.” Gaetano left the shop and started to head home, but stopped himself. If he did, he’d have a hard time getting out again for the meeting. He’d been telling Maria he was going to the library to study different areas of the law, but she wasn’t that gullible.
Gaetano started walking in the opposite direction. The secondkidnapping burdened his conscience, but then he had another thought. The second kidnapping could have been committed by the same person who committed the first. After all, if a kidnapper could operate with impunity, why wouldn’t he?
If that was true, Gaetano realized that solving one kidnapping could help solve the other. The notion redoubled his determination, and he prayed he could find not only one boy, but both.
Fight the good fight.
Gaetano would fight on.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Darkness surrounded Baron Zito’s palazzo, which was set by itself outside La Favorita park, quiet at this hour of the night. Franco and Roberto led Sebastiano, Ezio, and Roberto’s men on horseback to the lacquered front door, then Franco gave the signal to attack.
Franco, Roberto, and their men started blasting away at the door. It exploded in broken wood and flying splinters. Ferrous smoke filled the air.
They charged through to the courtyard, shooting at the sky to strike fear. “Violetta!” Franco shouted, his cry echoing.
The palazzo awoke in alarm. Panicked cries came from inside. Lamps and candles were lit. Servants came running out in terror. Thecarabinieriwouldn’t be here anytime soon, since the palazzo was far from the center of town.
