Chapter 20: The Lobby

At five to nine the lobby of the Cardwell tower was full of people on their way to work.

None of them were going upstairs.

They stood in the marble hall with their coffee, because a camera on a tripod had been set up beside the security desk.

A reporter from the business paper held a recorder, and Jared stood in front of him in yesterday's suit.

I came through the revolving door with Dario half a step behind me.

Jared saw me, and his voice rose.

"There she is. Ask her. Ask her what her real name is."

The reporter turned the recorder toward me.

"Ms. Cardwell, your son says you were born Marisa Brancato, to a crime family. Is that true?"

The lobby went quiet.

"It's true," I said.

Jared had expected a denial.

His mouth opened and shut.

"My father was Carmine Brancato," I said.

"I left his house at twenty-seven, and I built this company with my own inheritance."

"Every dollar of it paid its taxes."

"And your son's accusation?"

"I'm not afraid of it. Ask him what else he did."

I laid a folder in the reporter's hands.

"Every page is dated and signed," I said. "Read it here, in front of him, and then ask him which page is wrong."

The reporter turned a page.

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