Chapter 12: The Study

On Monday morning I went to River Forest to give back the envelope.

I did not call ahead, because a Vitale who calls ahead to return money is announcing she has spent it.

An aunt let me in through the kitchen and said the men were in the study, and told me to take a cookie.

I took the cookie and went down the hall toward the double doors.

They stood open about three inches.

"Nineteen exits in two weeks," Carlo said. "Nineteen. Pietro, you counted them."

"Lucia counted them," Pietro said. "I only confirmed."

"And she took every one."

"She likes him, Papa."

"Nobody likes him," Carlo said. "That is the whole idea."

I stopped with the cookie halfway to my mouth.

"Eleven years I've fed that legend," Carlo said. "Every man in Chicago crosses the street when he walks in."

"I built that boy a reputation," Carlo said. "And now she is feeding him focaccia in front of the Thursday table."

One of the uncles coughed.

"Carlo," the uncle said. "It's arithmetic."

"If she puts the ring on the dish, the peace holds and we keep Halsted whole," the uncle said.

"If we break it, the lease goes to the Vitales."

"That's why Domenico," said a second uncle. "A bride sits across from him. She looks at the door."

"He doesn't know?" Pietro said.

"He doesn't need to know," Carlo said. "His face does it."

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