From Scapegoat to Donna novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Saturday Twice

"The council meets at nine," Ignazio said. "Bring your husband, Donna, or we'll come back and take him."

He shut the laptop and walked out with his capos behind him.

Tancredi watched them go from the front step and did not say a word.

I locked the door.

"Study," I said. "Now."

His study was at the back of the house, with a desk, a safe and a leather chair that smelled of the Don.

I shut the door and stood with my back against it.

"Three minutes in the blood bank cold room," I said. "What did you do in there?"

"Tried to get her out."

"Out of where?"

"Out of the building." He leaned on the desk with both hands. "She had a daughter in Trenton. I told her to take her coat and go. She said her shift ended at seven, and she'd be fine."

"And you let her stay?"

"I couldn't drag her out in front of the cameras."

"Why did you think she needed to go at all?"

He didn't answer.

"The technician was killed at five past seven," I said. "You knew that at 6:52. You knew when. How?"

"Adriana."

"How did you know which stairwell?"

He closed his eyes.

"I've wanted to tell you since the moment I woke," he said. "I've wanted to say it every hour."

"Say what?"

"I remember how this week ends."

The room went very still.

"Say that again," I said slowly.

"The Don is shot at the family gala and brought to OR One. The bag goes into his arm. The pressure falls. By dinner the council has the badge, and my uncle has your name." His voice was low and flat. "By the fifth morning, the east wing is burning and my uncle is in my father's chair."

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