Chapter 14: The Ledger

Matteo's POV

I got to the Moretti house four minutes behind her cab.

The front door was standing open in the rain, and nobody was on the steps.

I told my two men to stay in the car. Then I took the ledger off the passenger seat, where I had thrown it, and I walked in without being asked.

I had been in that hall once, nine years ago, at the funeral lunch where Salvatore shook my hand.

The dining room doors were open. The long table was bare, and the cloth had been taken off.

Nora stood at the far end, by the kitchen door, in her wet blue sweater.

Salvatore stood at the head of the table with his glasses in his hand.

Three of his men stood against the wall, his underboss and two others.

They had come for a weekday meeting, and nobody had dared leave.

Antonella sat in the chair beside her husband, with her back straight.

Carmela was behind her, with no phone in her hand for once.

Nora had the folded sheet open in front of her.

"Read it," she told Salvatore. "Not out loud. Just read it."

He put his glasses on and took the page from her.

His left hand shook, and she watched it, and I watched her watch it.

When he had read it, he didn't speak.

"It's a forgery," Antonella said.

Her voice was perfectly calm. I had to give her that.

"It came out of Ravello's desk, Salvatore. Of course it did."

She turned her head to him.

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