Blood & omertà

y never

ants hawking their wares, the clatter of horse-drawn carts, the dist

he real bus

as about to learn another lesson

ht when the knock ca

p. U

stion pulling at his body. His first job had been a succe

g was the

fatigue, and moved toward the door. Sal stood

" Sal said. "

owned. "Wha

ed. "Carl

icci's speakeasy w

l glistening under the dim streetlamp. Carlo lay crumpled, his bod

nreadable, the glow of his cigarette b

e had seen men die before-back in Sicily, in the

s was d

one of

se under his breat

ette before flicking it into the alle

ngers brushing against the blood-stained gr

sn't sloppy. They w

urmured, glancing at the revolver

"So he didn't even get

he trusted whoever

ant one

one inside

ing whatever rage boiled beneath the surface. He poured

dn't. Neith

. "Good. You

his arms. "S

"Now, we find out who thi

was quiet, meas

rke ain't that dumb. If he

ged a glance wi

d. "You ever hear o

numbers out of Manhattan. Got

. "And he wa

as the

was old-school Sicilian, the kind of ma

, he had se

blood wa

ere," Sal growled. "

tayed quie

. "You got someth

You start a war now, and

"So what, we

ead. "No. But we don

mirked.

hinks we'll react. That we'll come at h

dded, in

ght, genius. What

ce. "We find out who in our ranks is work

rk widened.

ply. "Fine. But

itate. "We make an

In its place, somet

e ready for tha

's jaw t

is father. Of the lessons

rea

ys who had been too quiet lately, the ones

g. He wasn't loud like Sal, he didn't throw his weigh

why he sa

o DeA

Reliable. Loyal. Or

il

ng as Franco slipped into a back alley

way they spoke, the way Franco's eyes

ng informati

tched. Let the scen

a word, he turne

ht, Franco w

s hands folded in his lap, t

ehind him,

ci's right. A new s

able. "Tell me, Franco," he said, voic

sed. "Boss

hed. "Wro

react. A knife to the hand-p

o scr

o didn'

ll ask again. What's

ace pale. "I... I di

he first time. "You

to his, desperation cre

od. Walked b

ther. Of Sicily. Of

hesitation, he p

ward, blood spilli

om was

ooks like you're

o simpl

who had stepped into

t some dockwo

omething

Broo

belonged