V is for Vengeance

29

In the rear of the limousine, Dante donned his reading glasses while he studied the spreadsheet Saul had sent to the house by messenger the night before. This was a comprehensive view of his finances, pages he’d shred when he’d absorbed the content. He’d meant to go over the report when it first arrived, but he was distracted by the revelation from Nora’s offhand remark at the beach house that day. He wondered if there was any way he could have known she’d been married to Tripp Lanahan, of all people. Dante could count on the fingers of one hand men who’d come to his defense. Tripp had seen value in him, had successfully challenged bank policy for him, an unprecedented gesture of trust and confidence. Tripp had also taken a raft of shit from the bank for approving the loan, but he’d shrugged off the criticism and stuck to his guns. Dante was never sure why he’d done it, but it meant the world to him. In his mind, buying the big old house made him almost respectable, and he’d never missed a payment. In fact, he’d paid it off six years early and now owned it free and clear. Since then he’d worked hard to erase the taint of gangsterdom that dogged his days. It was a reputation he couldn’t seem to shake. He was tired of the burden and tired of trying to free himself from the power struggles and the necessity for domination. Until recently when he’d pictured his escape, it was always in the vague and cloudy future. It had helped immensely to know he had a way out, but now that the reality loomed before him, he was reluctant to act. It would make all the difference if Nora agreed to go with him, but what were the chances once she knew the part he’d played in Phillip’s death? He was doomed if he stayed and doomed if he left without her. Uncle Alfredo was another loss he wasn’t ready to face. Alfredo loved him as his father never had, and even with his life slipping away, he was Dante’s anchor. Dante couldn’t imagine leaving while the man could still draw breath.

Then there was the end of his relationship with Lola, and that depressed him as much as anything. That morning, when he’d finished showering and getting dressed, he’d come into the bedroom to find her already up and in her travel clothes. She had a suitcase open on the bed and a garment bag hooked over the open closet door, with the inner flap unzipped. She’d already moved a number of dresses, skirts, and suits still on hangers into its interior.

“What’s this about?”

“What’s it look like? I’m packing my things.”

“You don’t have to leave so soon.”

“Of course I do. The whole world doesn’t revolve around you. I have needs and desires of my own.”

“Where are you going?”

“Haven’t decided yet. I’m having a car take me down to Los Angeles. I’ll stay at the Bel-Air until I make up my mind. London for sure and after that, who knows?”

“You need cash?”

“No, Dante. I have a fortune in gold coins stashed under the mattress. I thought you knew.”

He smiled in spite of himself. “How much?”

“Fifty grand should do for now.”

He took out his money clip and counted off a number of bills that he handed to her. “That’s ten. I’ll have Lou Elle get the other forty to you at the hotel. After that, she’ll set up an account for you.”

“Thanks. I’m charging everything to you anyway, but there’s always tips and incidentals. You might alert American Express so there’s no hassle. I hate when the assholes refuse a card. They’re always so smug about it.”

“No problem.” He sat down on the edge of the bed, which was still unmade. The covers were thrown back and the sheets were warm with her scents: cologne, bath salts, shampoo. He felt a sharp pang of anxiety. What would he do with himself when she was gone? After eight years, he couldn’t even picture the empty place she’d leave in his life.

She secured the elastic bands across the hanging clothes to hold them flat and then closed and zipped the inner flap. She added a few items to the big suitcase and closed that as well. “Could you haul that down for me? I don’t want to give myself a hernia.”

He crossed to the closet door and lifted the garment bag off by its hook. He placed it on the bed and watched while she zipped it up. “This is all you’re taking? Doesn’t look like much.”

“I gotta be prepared to tote everything myself. The bags have wheels, but there’s a limit to how many I can manage at one time.”

“That’s what redcaps and bellboys are for.”

“Only when I get where I’m going. In between, I got cabs and airports and who knows what. Better to travel light so I don’t end up loaded down like a pack mule,” she said. “What about you? I figured you’d be taking off with your new lady love. What’s her name?”

“Nora. How’d you find out about her?”

“I know how you operate and I can get information from the same sources.”

“She hasn’t agreed to go with me and now something else has come up.”

“Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s not. Two years ago I loaned a kid some money on a gambling debt. He owed a casino in Vegas and he came to me for cash to cover him. We made a deal and shook hands. I ponied up and then he tried to weasel out of paying. He offered me his Porsche in lieu of payment and I told Cappi to take care of it. I meant take a look and see if the car was okay. Cappi tossed him off the parking garage.”

“I take it Cappi didn’t get caught or he’d still be locked up,” she said.

“That’s not the problem. Turns out the kid was Nora’s only son. I knew her husband years ago, Tripp Lanahan. Guy drops dead of a heart attack at thirty-six. She mentions his name and I put it together in a flash. I thought I’d have a heart attack myself.”

Lola sat down beside him. “What are you going to do?”

“What are my choices? I have to tell her.”

“No, you don’t. Are you nuts? Keep your big mouth shut. Otherwise all you’re going to do is fuck it up.”

“What if she hears about it from someone else? Then I’m really fucked.”

Lola’s expression was pained. “Oh, please. You know what this is like? Having an affair and then making a full confession. Leaves the guilty party feeling just fine, thanks. You get it off your chest and your conscience is clear. Meanwhile, you put the whole load of shit on your significant other who hasn’t done a thing.”

“I want to be honest with her. Do things right.”

“Get serious. She’s not going to forgive and forget. You tell her and it’s over. Is that what you want?”

“I can’t live the rest of my life wondering if she’s going to find out.”

“How’s she going to find out? You’re taking her out of the country. It’s a big world out there. What are the chances of running into someone who-lo and behold-knows what went on? You got what, a handful of people in on the story, all of ’em on your payroll. I wouldn’t sweat it if I were you.”

He turned and looked at her. “I live with you all these years and this is how you think?”

“It’s called common sense. Using the old noggin. Looking before you leap.”

“It’s a rationalization. Finding a way to save your own skin at someone else’s expense.”

“It’s not costing her anything. How’s she going to know?”

And that was the question she left him with, last thing out of her mouth before he helped her carry her bags down to the car and watched her disappear down the drive. End of Lola. Over and done.

Through the tinted windows of the limousine, the quality of the light changed, and he realized Tomasso had slowed at the mouth of the parking garage and was nosing the limo down the incline. Dante returned the report to his briefcase and idly watched the concrete walls slide by, support posts, low ceiling, the exit ramp coming up on his right. Tomasso pulled to the curb near the entrance to Macy’s. The backside elevators to the office floors were located to the right, often unnoticed by shoppers as they passed the spot, intent on something else.

Hubert got out on the passenger side and came around to the rear to open the door for him. As Dante emerged from the car, the elevator doors opened and a young woman stepped out. Dante took in the sight of her-jeans, black turtleneck, and a big slouchy shoulder bag-with a curious sense of familiarity. It was unusual to see anyone in the parking garage at so early an hour. Hubert shifted his weight, automatically, blocking her access to his boss. The woman stopped and Dante saw recognition flicker in her eyes as she looked from his big bodyguard to the limousine. Dante couldn’t remember ever seeing her, but she seemed to know him.

He was about to move past her when she spoke up. “Could I talk to you?”

“About what?”

Hubert said, “Miss…”

“You’re Lorenzo Dante. I was just in your office looking for you.”

“Who are you?”

Hubert was saying, “Please, Miss. Could you step away from the car…” These were standard phrases he’d learned. Anyone hearing him would think he knew English well, but as it turned out, in his job, fluency wasn’t required unless it came to guns and hand-to-hand combat, at which he was truly gifted.

“Hubert, would you cool it? I’m having a conversation here.”

He said, “Sorry, boss,” but kept a watchful eye on the interchange.

“I’m Kinsey Millhone. I’m a friend of Pinky’s.”

“What’s that have to do with me?”

“Last night Pinky and your brother got into a shoot-out and Pinky’s wife was hit in the crossfire. She’s in bad shape and Pinky’s worried sick about her medical bills.”

“I’m not seeing the relevance.”

“Pinky had a set of photographs to give you, only your brother got there first and destroyed both the prints and the negatives.”

“Photographs of what?”

“Cappi and Len Priddy chatting together in a parked car on six different occasions. Your brother sold you out.”

Dante stared at her for a moment while he decided what to do and then he said, “Get in.”

He stood aside while she slung her shoulder bag into the back of the limousine and slid in after it, shifting both herself and her bag over to the long side seat. When she was settled, he ducked in and took his usual place. To Tomasso, he said, “Take a drive. I’ll tell you when it’s time to bring us back.”

Before Tomasso pulled away, he triggered the mechanism that closed the panel between the front seat and the rear of the car. By then, Hubert was back in the front seat. Dante was intent on the woman sitting to his left. She was somewhere in her thirties, more girl than woman as far as he was concerned. He couldn’t decide what to make of her. She was small-boned with a ragged mop of dark hair she must have chopped off herself. Hazel eyes, her nose ever so slightly crooked. He could tell she’d been banged up, but he couldn’t imagine why. He said, “How do you know Pinky? You don’t look like the lowlife type.”

“I’m a private eye. He gave me the first set of key picks I ever owned and I owe him for that. I’m also fond of him, rascal that he is.”

“And he hired you to do what?”

“Not him. The man engaged to Audrey Vance.”

He was getting it. “You’re the one took my money and gave it to the cops. You and her landlady up in San Luis Obispo. That was a bad thing you did.”

“Hey, you sent guys to break into my studio. You violated my privacy and that’s just as bad.”

He couldn’t believe she had the nerve to sound indignant when she was the one who’d wronged him. He nearly smiled but thought better of it. “We’re talking about a hundred grand you cost me.”

She shrugged. “The courier service handed it over to Audrey’s landlady. Why am I to blame?”

“Wait a minute. Now I know where I heard your name. I read about you in the paper. You blew the whistle on Audrey.”

“What was I supposed to do? I saw her steal underwear and stuff it in her bag.”

“You could have looked the other way. Audrey was a peach. She worked for me for years.”

“I’m surprised she wasn’t better at her job.”

“You’ve also been following a friend of mine and it’s upsetting her. Where do you get off pulling shit like that?”

“Oh, right. Helping Hearts, Healing Hands. That’s a crock,” she said. “You want to talk about Cappi or go on trading recriminations? You ask me, we’re even.”

“You got a hell of a nerve. Why’d you come to me with bullshit about Pinky? What the fuck do I care? The guy’s a punk.”

“He needs help. I thought maybe we could work a trade.”

“A trade?”

“Sure. I’ll tell you what I know and you pay his medical bills and living expenses until Dodie’s back on her feet.”

He stared at her with amazement. “I’m a bad man. Didn’t anybody tell you?”

“You don’t seem bad to me.”

“I’m not someone you come to with a deal,” he said. “That’s the point.”

She looked at him with… he wouldn’t call it insolence, but maybe cockiness. “Why not?”

“Why not? Take a look at the other players in this game. You tell me Cappi’s sold me out. You know what kind of guy he is? A claim like that can get you killed.”

“Len Priddy’s worse.”

“Than Cappi? How you figure?”

“Len’s a cop, sworn to uphold the law. If he’s corrupt, then what happens to the rest of us?”

“Oh, I see. You figure I’m corrupt to begin with so what difference does it make.”

“Not at all. I suspect you play straight and you’re a man of your word.”

“Based on what?”

“Based on the fact that you have power and you’ve had it for years. You don’t need to dick around.”

“Nice talk, but it’s not going to help. You’ve got nothing to trade. Cappi’s snitching is not exactly late-breaking news. I’ve been suspicious about him since he got out of Soledad.”

“Well, now you know for sure. I saw the photographs.”

“Your word against his. You said he destroyed them all, so where’s your proof?”

“Doesn’t matter. You won’t be taking him to court, so the evidence is irrelevant.”

“Two corrections. A, you don’t know what I’ll do with him, and B, you don’t have a clue what’s relevant. Tell me something I don’t know and maybe we’ll do business. Believe it or not, I’m fond of Pinky myself.”

She held his gaze and he could tell there was something more she wanted to say. She was debating the wisdom of it and for the first time, he was truly interested.

“Come on. Out with it.”

“Are you aware Abbie Upshaw is Len Priddy’s girlfriend?”

He could feel his focus sharpen. “Says who?”

“I saw them at the Palms a week ago. That’s how she was introduced. You can ask her yourself.”

“You saw her in my office.”

“Of course. I was looking for you when I ran into her.”

“And she’s in on the deal, whatever it is. With these pictures you’re talking about?”

“For starters, I think she took them. Len stashed them at her place. She was out of town last weekend, no doubt humping his bones. Pinky looked for the photographs at Len’s and when they didn’t turn up, he decided to try her place. He walked away with her home safe and when he drilled it, he hit pay dirt.”

“What’s his stake in this?”

“Len was using another set of photographs to keep him in line. Those are the ones he was after at the time. The shots of Len and Cappi were a bonus. Dumb luck on his part. He was hoping you’d forgive his two-thousand-dollar debt in exchange for them.”

Dante took a moment to assimilate the information. “Fair enough,” he said. “You tell Pinky to come see me and I’ll take care of him. You have a car?”

“I’m parked in the underground garage.”

Dante reached up and pressed a button on the console. “You can take us back now. We’ll drop the lady at her car.”

He took the elevator up. When the doors opened, he crossed the reception area and paused at Abbie’s desk. Beautiful girl, no doubt about it, with that long dark hair. Sometimes she wore it up, caught in an oversize tortoiseshell clip that looked like a set of spring-loaded teeth. Steady, responsible, a valuable employee. She was watching him carefully, trying to read his mood. Maybe it had occurred to her that he and the private eye might have crossed paths downstairs.

“I have a job for you,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact.

“For me?”

Her warm olive complexion had taken on a gray cast, and he knew if he reached out and touched her hand, her fingers would be cold. “I need two first-class seats on a flight from LAX to Manila. I’ll need a limousine to take us down to the airport.”

Her face went blank as the request sank in. A frown created two parallel creases between her eyes. If she did that often, they’d be permanent.

“Is this a problem?” he asked.

“I was wondering why you chose Manila.”

“I like the Philippines, okay?”

She licked her lips as though her mouth had gone dry. “When did you want to leave?”

“Thursday. Make it late so I can get in a full day’s work. I’ll be at the warehouse first thing. Have a limo pick us up at the house for the trip down to the airport.”

“You don’t want your driver to take you?”

“He’s entitled to three weeks’ paid vacation. I’m giving him the time off. Same with my bodyguard.”

She hesitated. “Lou Elle usually handles travel.”

“And now you do. Think you can manage it?”

“Yes, sir.”

He leaned down and pulled over the notepad where she recorded phone calls. He preferred a different system, one with automatic carbons so the top slip could be torn off and left on his desk. He jotted two names and a series of numbers on the lined page and pushed it back to her.

She glanced down. “Mrs. Vogelsang?”

“You have an opinion, you can keep it to yourself.”

“Won’t I need her birth date and passport number?”

He pointed. “What do you think that is?”

“Oh, sorry. What airline?”

“Surprise me. I want the itinerary in hand by the end of the day. Also, call the police department and ask to speak to Sergeant Detective Priddy. That’s P-R-I-D-D-Y. Set up a meeting here as soon as possible. Within the hour if he can make it.”

He crossed to the door and pushed into the inner corridor without looking back, but he could picture her dismay. What would she do with Len Priddy in the office? Admit she was in bed with a vice cop? Pretend she didn’t know the guy?

He stopped in Lou Elle’s office and found her tapping on her computer keys, her glasses low on her nose.

“Sorry to interrupt. I’ve asked Abbie to book some airline tickets. I don’t want you to think she’s treading on your turf.”

“Appreciate the information. Anything else?”

“That’s what I like about you. All business.”

“That’s what you pay me for.”

“Who do we know at St. Terry’s?”

“Medical records or administration?”

“You tell me. I need everything they got on these two.” Again, he jotted information on a scratch pad, tore off the leaf, and passed it to her. He continued writing while Lou Elle read the note he’d given her. “Pierpont? That’s a good one.”

“I didn’t name the guy. His mother did. Set up an account in his name. A hundred grand for starters. We’ll see how it goes from there. You make sure he’s taken care of regardless.”

Her gaze came up to his. “Regardless of what?”

“Life’s a crapshoot. You never know what’s coming down the pike.”

“Is this deductible?”

He smiled. “Good question. Talk to Saul and see if he can make it work,” he said. “As long as you’re at it, there’s something else you need to set up. A little switcheroo.” He handed her the second piece of scratch paper.

She glanced at it. “Ooo, for me?”

“I thought you and your hubby could use the time away.”

She folded the note in half and slipped it under her desk calendar. “Thanks. Very sporting of you. I’ll let Saul know about the rest of it since it’s his department.”

He said, “Everything is Saul’s department.”

“Understood.”

He spent the rest of the morning taking care of odds and ends. When Abbie buzzed him at noon, he’d almost forgotten what he wanted until she told him Sergeant Priddy was in the lobby. “Give me a few minutes and then bring him in. It won’t hurt him to cool his heels.”

“Would you like coffee?”

“Why not? Make the guy feel welcome.”

He took his finger off the intercom. No reason to chafe about Abbie’s deception. People did you in. People turned on you in a heartbeat. Pop always told him it was like that. His advice was to play the hand you’re dealt. No point wishing things were different just because the truth cut you as clean as a razor blade.

He got up from his desk and crossed to the wall safe, ran the combination, and opened it. He put his Sig Sauer in the inner pocket of his sport coat. When he sat down again, he buzzed Abbie and told her she could bring Priddy in. A few minutes passed before the two arrived. If he’d had a surveillance camera in the lobby, he might have been entertained by their shenanigans.

She tapped on his door and as she opened it, he reached forward and pressed a button on the answering machine. She and Priddy had apparently decided to play it cool. She kept her expression bland and indifferent, and Len made a point of ignoring her. Dante got up and shook Len’s hand, inviting him to take a seat. He’d never liked the guy’s looks. Something smarmy going on. His hair was a slick gray, combed back from his face, which was big and square. His skin was crepey, with an unbecoming puffiness along his jaw. He had bags under his eyes and his upper lids sagged until it was a marvel he could see. He couldn’t imagine what a gorgeous girl like Abbie was doing with a guy like him. Maybe she needed a sugar daddy and he got off being sexually serviced by someone half his age.

Dante said, “Sergeant Detective Priddy, it’s nice to see you again. It’s been a while.”

“You seem to be holding your own,” Len said.

“I was until recently.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, ‘Oh.’ Let’s cut to the chase here. My brother’s been seen in conversation with you. I’ve heard it from more than one source and it doesn’t sit well.”

Len continued to look at him. Dante could see that he was reluctant to confirm the claim and too smart to deny it. Len said, “I’m not sure this is a conversation we should be having.”

“Why not? The place isn’t bugged. I have it swept every other day,” Dante said, and went on: “I imagine you’ve come into all manner of information about how I run my business. Not that Cappi’s a reliable source.”

“I don’t think that warrants comment. You know your brother better than I do.”

“Here’s something he hasn’t been told and therefore hasn’t had the opportunity to pass along. I’m closing up shop. I’ve been meaning to get out for years, but it was never the right time.”

Len smiled. “You’re closing up shop because you’re under indictment and you know you’re going to jail.”

“I wasn’t aware we were discussing my motivation,” Dante said. “I admit my retirement is self-serving, but keep this in mind: I’m a good businessman. I believe in sound financial practices, the same as a bank. I’ve also kept the violence to a minimum and what there was of it was Cappi’s doing.”

“You’ve never ordered a hit,” Len said facetiously.

“No, I have not. Killing makes for bad public relations. Not that Cappi would agree. He can hardly wait to step into my shoes. Once that happens, you got a real problem on your hands.”

“I think I can deal with it.”

“The deal is the issue we’re here to discuss. He might be willing to slip you your share, but he won’t be as generous as I’ve been. You’d be wise to broker an agreement up front and make sure it’s on your terms, not his.”

“Is that what this meeting’s about? Unsolicited advice from a fucking gangster?”

“I don’t think of myself as a gangster. The term offends me. I’ve never been convicted of a crime.”

“You will be.”

“You’re entitled to feel smug because you win either way. I’m out, he’s in, it’s all the same to you. You think you’ve got your hands full with me, wait until Cappi’s in the driver’s seat. He’ll turn this town on its ear.”

“So why don’t you do us all a favor and get rid of him?” Len said.

Dante smiled. “Why don’t you? I’ve got enough problems as it is without adding murder to the list.”

“You only have one problem, buddy. We are taking you down.”

“Oh, please. How long has this investigation been going on? Two years, three? You’re playing patty-cake with the FBI and who else? DEA? ATF? All government grunts, a bunch of jack-offs. I already told you I’m out of here. Cappi’s the one you should worry about. Take him out and the business is all yours.”

Len got up. “Meeting’s over. Good-bye and good luck.”

“Think about it. That’s all I’m saying. Retire from the PD and live in style for a change. You could do a lot worse.”

“I’ll take it under advisement,” he said. “What’s the time frame for this departure of yours?”

“That’s no concern of yours. I’m telling you this much because I want to be fair since you’ve been such a help to me.”

Dante left the office early. He was restless, obsessing about Nora, trying to decide what to do. He wanted to tell her what happened to Phillip, but he knew it would be the end of their relationship. On the other hand, what was love about if not honesty and openness? He had Tomasso drop him at the house, where he picked up his car. He drove to the Vogelsangs’ in Montebello and swung the Maserati into the courtyard, then parked it next to Nora’s Thunderbird. It was Wednesday and he assumed Channing was back in Los Angeles. Dante was heavy-hearted, a phrase he’d never understood before.

He crossed to the front door, aware of how ordinary all of his actions felt. He was playing the part of Lorenzo Dante, not fully inhabiting his body, but removed as though watching from outside himself. She must have heard his car pull in because when he rang the bell, she opened the door. Her face was stone. She held on to the door, forcing him to remain outside.

Someone had spilled the beans. “Who told you?”

“Two FBI agents came to the house in Malibu. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me yourself. How long were you going to let this go on?”

“I had no idea you were married to Tripp until yesterday at the beach house.”

“Yes, you did. I saw it in your face. Why didn’t you speak up?”

“I couldn’t. When it finally dawned on me, all I could think was I didn’t want to lose you. I knew if I owned up, it was over.”

Nora said, “You’re despicable.”

“I didn’t mean to deceive you. I came here because I want to be straight with you whatever the cost.”

“Well, aren’t you the noble one?”

“Nora. God’s truth. I never laid a hand on your boy. I’m not excusing myself. He died because of me. I’m responsible, but not through any intention on my part. I made an offhand remark and Cappi took it for something else. He’s vicious and he has no impulse control. He’s been that way since he was a kid. I should have had him taken out. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, but I should have done it anyway. I didn’t understand how dangerous he was.”

“Yes, you did. You knew perfectly well, but you looked the other way.”

“I don’t want to argue with you. That’s not why I’m here. You’re right. Whatever you say, I accept. I should have turned him in two years ago when I found out he threw Phillip off that roof. I thought his being my brother mattered more than justice. I was wrong.”

“You could have turned him in yesterday. I might have believed in your sincerity if you’d done that.”

“I’ll make it right. I’ll talk to the DA and tell him everything.”

“Who gives a shit what you do now? He’s still your brother. I don’t see why you should suddenly see your way clear to doing what you should have done long before now.”

“Listen to me. Listen. All bets are off. Cappi sold me out to the cops and that’s the end of anything I owe him.”

“Are you hearing yourself? You’re saying if he’d been loyal, you’d have gone on protecting him. So what if he killed a few people, you’d have shielded him as long as there was some benefit to you.”

“I carried him because Pop would’ve died if anything happened to him. I thought if I looked after him, my old man would eventually bring me in out of the cold.”

“Oh, you’re out in the cold, all right.”

“Fine. I’m out. I won’t fight you on this. As long as we’re putting our cards on the table, there’s something else. You do whatever you have to do, but fold this into the equation while you’re at it. Phillip was a good kid, but he was off track. He told me he gambled all through college. He bragged he made money at it, but that was bullshit. All poker players say that. It’s a distortion… filtering out the losses and exaggerating the wins. Did you ever stop and calculate how much you and Channing paid out to cover his debts? You’d be paying to this day because he would never have given it up. He couldn’t. That was his fix… how he took care of whatever pain and anxiety he felt.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, I do. I see guys like him all day long. I lend them money so they can try to bail themselves out of whatever hole they’ve dug. You and Channing were always going to be picking up after him. He was weak.”

“How dare you criticize my son! He was a child! Twenty-three years old.”

“Nora, he had big problems. He was up and down, immature, grandiose. Which was fine as long as he lived in the bubble he created for himself, but in the real world, he was floundering.”

“How do you know he wouldn’t have straightened out? He lost any chance he had. He lost his life and for what?”

“Maybe he would have straightened up. I don’t know that and neither do you. He didn’t deserve to die. What happened to him was my fault and I don’t deny the part I played. I know you can’t forgive me. I’m not asking you to. I just don’t want you to pretty up who Phillip was and what he did. I’m sorry he died. I mean that. I know how much he meant to you and I’m sorry.”

“Anything else?” she asked, her tone flat.

Dante took a deep breath. “As long as I’m being honest, I might as well give you the rest. I set him up. I meant to teach him a lesson, something Tripp might have done if he’d lived.”

“A lesson? What the hell are you talking about?”

“I put a woman at his table, one of my employees. Georgia’s a world-class poker player. I knew he’d go down in flames if he came up against her. I wanted him to hit rock bottom so he’d see the error of his ways. He was never going to figure it out if he had people coming to his rescue. That was truly my intent, to put him back on the straight and narrow.”

She started to close the door.

He put a hand out, stopping her. “Listen to me. My brother killed your son. Phillip didn’t kill himself. His death had nothing to do with you. Blame me, if it helps. You’ve been through a loss no parent should have to bear and nothing will make up for it. But Phillip’s dead either way. At least you know now he didn’t die through any will of his own.”

“Enough. You’ve had your say. Now get away from me. I’m tired.”

“Hell, Nora. We’re all tired.”

She closed the door. He stood on her doorstep for one minute more and then he turned and went back to his car.

He thought their conversation was the low point of his day, but there was worse in store. When he reached home, the upstairs rooms were dark. Lights in the kitchen, dining room, and living room were ablaze, but there was nothing cheery waiting for him. Lola was long gone. He left his car in the driveway for Tomasso to put in the garage and entered the house through the front door. He was relieved to see there was no sign of his father. He went into the library and fixed himself a drink. He left the house by way of the back door, greeting Sophie briefly in passing. She gave him a long look, apparently aware that Lola had packed up and departed. While she knew better than to commiserate, she was in the process of preparing all of his favorites: beef Wellington and haricots verts. Chunks of potato were simmering on a low burner and he knew she’d mash them with butter and sour cream. The tureen was set out for the fresh tomato soup she’d made. She’d also made a green salad she’d be dressing just before she served him. This was the only form of mothering he knew-someone cooking his supper, fixing everything he loved. He paid her handsomely, but so be it. Nurturing was nurturing.

Sophie said, “Your uncle’s been asking for you. Cara’s been in here six times.”

“I’m on my way now. I should be back in half an hour or so. Pop on the premises?”

“He took the limo. Tomasso drove. He said he’d swing by Cappi’s house and take him out to dinner.”

Dante made no comment. What did he care what Pop did with Cappi?

It was still light out, but the day was fading, which made the lights in the guesthouse look cozy. He could smell wood smoke and imagined Cara had laid a fire to warm the old man, who was growing more feeble by the day. When she opened the door for him, she kept her voice low. Over her shoulder, he caught sight of his uncle, whose chair was pulled up as close to the hearth as she could place it.

She was looking at him oddly. “Are you going someplace? Your uncle keeps talking about your leaving. He’s been agitated.”

“No plans at the moment. Lola’s gone. She left for Los Angeles this morning, so he might have caught sight of her going down the drive and thought I was in the car.”

“Well, do what you can to calm him. This is as bad as I’ve seen him.”

Dante crossed to the fireplace, where Cara had set out a chair close enough for easy conversation. Alfredo was swaddled in a comforter, his head sunk on his chest. Only the occasional light snore suggested he was still among the living. Dante hated to wake him, so he sat and sipped his drink. Better to wait in companionable silence than to leave and suffer the silence of the main house. He watched the fire and when he next looked at his uncle, the old man’s eyes were open, fixed on him with an intensity Dante hadn’t seen for many years. Dante said, “How’s it going? You still hangin’ in there?”

“I had a dream about you going on a journey. You kept looking back, motioning like I was supposed to come with you.” He paused to smile. “One of those dreams where I worked hard to catch up, but I couldn’t close the distance. Like walking in deep water up to here.” He laid a trembling hand on his chest.

“I feel like that sometimes when I’m awake,” Dante said. “Meantime, I’m not going anyplace, so you can rest easy on that score.”

“Time’s getting short and there’s something I need to get off my chest.”

“You don’t have to do this now…”

Alfredo shook his head. “Listen to me. This, I know. Shadows are getting longer and I’m cold. My blood pressure’s dropping. Cara won’t talk about it, but I can feel it in my soul. Those hospice people can tell you to the minute, which is why I didn’t want them hovering over me. Cara’s better-looking and she’s got those big tits.”

Dante smiled. “I thought you’d appreciate her attributes.”

“What I’m saying, you don’t want to know or you’d have figured it out years ago. I don’t tell you this to cause you pain, but in order to set you free. You think you’re not going anywhere, but time’s getting short for you the same as it is for me.”

“I’m here now,” Dante said.

“Thing about you is you’ve always broken my heart. You’ve been burdened by more sorrow than any boy deserves except maybe me so let me say this while I can.”

Dante could feel his face grow tense with his effort to hold back tears.

“This is about your mother.”

Dante held up a hand. “Let’s keep this about us, about our relationship. You’re the one I’m going to miss.”

“Not like you missed her. You remember the day your father drained the swimming pool?”

“Spite on his part. Even at twelve, I knew that much…”

“Because her blood was in the water.”

Dante felt his body grow still. The image was as clear in his mind as though he’d been there himself, which he knew he had not. “He killed her?”

“Killing was what he did best. Not like he is now, a wreck of a man. You remember his temper back then. Terrible. Man was a maniac when he was enraged. I don’t even remember now what set him off. Nothing she did. It was all in his head. I was there. I tried to intervene, but he was out of control. You kids were asleep. He made me help him bury her and then he disposed of her clothes and everything else she loved. You were her favorite and that’s why from that time on he beat you bloody every chance he got. He wanted to crush you to get back at her.”

“How’d he do it?”

“He slit her throat.”

“Ah, god.”

“She never would have left you. You should know that about her. How much she loved you kids and how devoted she was. Over the years, I thought you’d ask. I thought you’d realize it was something he did, that it had nothing to do with her. Now I understand with her gone, all you had to hold on to was him. That’s a special hell for a kid. The more you tried to please him, the more you reminded him of what he did.”

Dante felt all the cells in his body rearranging themselves, felt memories shift, felt truth ricochet through his soul. He knew. He did know. What else made sense in his life except his mother… beautiful, young, and faithful to him after all.

Alfredo said, “I wish I could help, but I can’t. I have no counsel. No advice. Take it in and do with it as you will. I couldn’t leave you without letting you know. I should have told you years ago, but I’m a coward. Ashamed of myself, but always proud of you. You’re a good man and I love you more than I can say. If you’d been my son, this would have all turned out differently. You need to leave the country while you can. I’ll be fine. I don’t have long anyway and I don’t want you hanging around on my account. This is our good-bye. You go. I’ll cover your back. I’ll be like the guy left in the fort while all the others escape certain death. I’ll rest easier knowing you’re safe, so you do that for me.”

Dante nodded. He reached out and the two men gripped hands tightly as though they might find a way to give immortality to the bond. Dante felt as fierce and as strong and as clean as he’d ever felt in his life. It was Alfredo’s parting gift.