“Bastian was right. I should have done this years ago,” I say and thrust him away, letting his body fall onto the couch, then slump to the floor. I turn to the soldiers who look beyond me to Sonny’s body. “Get the word out. Sonny Caballero is dead. Anyone who wants to join me is welcome. Anyone who stands against me will meet with the same end Sonny just did.”
24
BASTIAN
After settling my mother and Emma in Palermo, I go straight to Uncle’s apartment in the city. Word is breaking about what Amadeo has done. Bruno is already here and waiting upstairs, and there are more soldiers than I’ve seen gathered at one house since the death of our grandfather. The elevator is blocked by our men. I ride up, and once the doors open to Sonny’s floor, I see half a dozen soldiers armed with automatic rifles standing in the hall.
Eyebrows raised, I bypass them, enter, and am directed to Sonny’s study, where I find Bruno. He’s the one who called and alerted me to what happened. What my brother did. I’m only sorry I wasn’t there to see the life bleed out of that bastard’s eyes myself.
Bruno is on a call. I nod in greeting and walk over to where Sonny’s body is splayed half on the floor, half on the sofa. I lift the blanket covering him and whistle at the amount of blood.
“New bag?” Bruno comments.
I cover the body and turn to him. I’m carrying Vittoria’s tote, which I’d found in the library. I set it down.
“Vittoria’s. Where is Amadeo?”
“Sent him to take a shower.”
“Find anything on Vittoria’s location?”
Bruno shakes his head. “Not yet but I’ve been busy trying to head off the cops.”
“Word travels fast,” Amadeo says from the door.
I turn to find my brother standing fresh from a shower, hair still wet dressed casually in jeans and a dark sweater. I’m guessing Bruno had the forethought to bring a change of clothes. Amadeo glances at the body, then at me.
“How are Mom and Emma?”
“Fine. Good call to send them to Palermo. Emma took to Gabriela right away.”
“Good.”
“You are aware there’s a warrant out for your arrest,” Bruno tells Amadeo.
“Yeah, well, that’s all going to have to wait until I’ve found my wife.” Amadeo settles himself behind the desk.
“You need to get out of here,” Bruno says, ignoring him.
“Any luck with the password?” Amadeo asks him.
“Not yet.”
“Try Nadia,” I say more as a joke than anything else.
Amadeo chuckles. “Well, fuck. I’d say that’s brilliant, but quite frankly, it was more idiotic of Sonny than anything else.”
“It worked? You’re fucking kidding me,” I say.
Amadeo offers Bruno the seat. What might take my brother or me hours to find Bruno will find in about a third of the time.
I bring the tote over.
“Isn’t that Vittoria’s bag?” Amadeo asks.
“You really do need to go,” Bruno tells Amadeo.
“In a minute.”