Her Birthday Celebration Was My Exit novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: March Ninth

Lisetta's smile stayed exactly where it was.

"What about October second?"

I took out the first slip and held it up so the head table could see it.

"October second. Milan Linate airport. The Salerno jet card."

I laid it on the nearest tablecloth, in front of the man with the cigar.

He looked down at it.

Another slip. Another table. A third, and a fourth.

Four slips on four white tablecloths.

"Every one signed with the same L." I turned to Remo's mother. "Signora, you've had birthday cards from her since she was six. You know that L."

His mother leaned over the slip on her table.

She didn't touch it. She didn't need to.

"I was in the crew hotel that day with a fever of a hundred and two," I said. "The hotel has me checking in at nine the night before and not coming out until the next morning. I'd left the card with the fuel desk for fuel. She asked them for it. They gave it to the boss's guest."

"She's lying." Lisetta laughed, high and light. "Remo, she's lying. I've never seen those."

"Then somebody in Milan has very good handwriting."

"She could have signed them herself! She had the card!"

"I'm left-handed," I said. "Those were signed right-handed. Ask any of the guys who've watched me fill out a fuel slip."

Over by the bar, one of Remo's men shifted his weight and said nothing.

He had watched me fill out a hundred fuel slips.

The room had gone very quiet.

Lisetta turned to the guests with her palms open.

"This is so sad. She's obsessed. He left her for me and she's been planning this for weeks. Look at her. She brought a folder."

Somebody at the back laughed, nervous.

I took out the second sheet.

"This is the passenger manifest for that flight. My handwriting. I copied it straight off your passport at the counter in Linate, with you standing right there."

I read out the date of birth printed beside her name.

The room didn't make a sound.

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