Chapter 13: Four to One

One no was all the Landolfi house had.

The chair counted the hands again, slowly, so that every Don heard him do it.

"Four for, one against," he said. "The motion carries."

Benny closed his eyes and smiled.

Teo did not move.

I kept my hands flat on the table and said nothing, because a Bellandi had no voice at that table.

"A trust over a house this size does not seat on one vote," the chair said.

"It seats at a second sitting, ten days from today."

"Ten days," Benny said. "Fine."

"Until then, nobody touches the East Side, not a dollar and not a door," the chair said.

"The Landolfi house may answer the charge at that sitting. Don Landolfi may not sit until then."

He looked at Teo for a long moment.

"You confessed to us, which is more than most men do. It will not save you."

Teo stood up.

"I understand," he said.

He picked up my father's watch from the middle of the table and held it out to me.

I took it without touching his fingers.

Sheridan was waiting by the door with her hands folded.

Around her neck, lying in the hollow of her throat, were my wedding pearls.

"Mara," she said, soft as ever. "I'm so sorry it went this way."

I stopped in front of her.

"Keep them warm," I said. "You won't have them long."

Her smile held, but her eyes went to Benny.

I walked out.

Fausto caught up with me on the sidewalk, leaning on his cane harder than he ever had.

He opened the back door of his old black sedan and waited.

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