Everyone Had a Key but Me novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Key to the Door

I walked into the bakery at nine o'clock with Gabe's hand in mine.

He had taken it on the pavement outside, without looking down, and he did not let go as we passed the ovens.

Every wife along the wall saw it.

So did the five men at the oak table.

Rule one was dead, and I wanted them to watch it die.

Bruno rose from his seat at the Don's right.

He had never looked sorrier.

"Claire. I wish it weren't today."

"So do I."

Beside him stood the night supervisor, grey in the face, and in the corner Allegra sat on a bentwood chair with her handkerchief balled in her fist.

The eldest capo folded his shaking hands.

"Signor Pellegrino says this man will swear to something. Speak."

The supervisor wet his lips.

"Tuesday evening, in the lobby. I saw Mr. Pellegrino hold out a key to Miss Danner. She took it. She put it in her bag."

"Time?" said the man with the rings.

"Around half past six."

I let go of Gabe's hand and took the notebook out of my coat.

"Do you know what a doorman does?" I said. "He watches the lobby. For eleven years this one has also written down what he saw, every night, because the old Don asked him to."

I opened it to the page.

"Tuesday, 6:34 p.m. Mr. B. Pellegrino offers Miss Danner a new brass key in my lobby. She thanks him. She says she will not need it. She leaves without it. He puts it back in his coat."

I looked at the supervisor.

"You come on at ten. The desk schedule is written in the front of this same book. You weren't there."

He said nothing.

"An old man's scribbles," Bruno said, softly. "Anyone can write in a notebook."

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