Chapter 18 - BROTHERS AT THE CEMETERY
Lorenzo knew where Marco would go.
Greenwood Cemetery.
The place where all their ghosts lived.
He found Marco standing in front of Vittorio DeLuca's grave.
Rain covered his coat.
His wounded shoulder hung stiffly.
No guards.
No weapon visible.
Lorenzo stopped ten feet away.
“Where is Salvatore?”
Marco turned.
“I thought he'd come here.”
“Why?”
“To finish what he started.”
Lorenzo looked around.
“You escaped the hospital.”
“I walked out.”
“Your guards weren't very motivated.”
Lorenzo almost smiled.
Then Marco's expression changed.
“He called me.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“What did he say?”
“That sons always return to their fathers.”
Lorenzo looked toward Vittorio's headstone.
“Not always.”
A voice came from behind them.
“No.”
“Sometimes they betray them.”
Salvatore stepped from between two mausoleums.
Gun raised.
Marco closed his eyes.
“Papa.”
Salvatore looked at him with disgust.
“You chose Caterina.”
“I chose myself.”
“You chose weakness.”
Marco laughed.
“No.”
“I finally realized you needed me angry because without my anger, you had nothing.”
Salvatore fired.
Lorenzo shoved Marco aside.
The bullet struck stone.
Marco drew a hidden pistol.
Father and son aimed at each other.
Lorenzo stood between them.
“Move.”
Salvatore shouted.
Lorenzo didn't.
“You want him to kill you?”
“No.”
“I want this to stop.”
Salvatore laughed.
“You think exposing a ledger ends blood?”
“No.”
“But somebody has to be the first man who doesn't pull the trigger.”
Salvatore's gun moved toward Lorenzo.
Marco's finger tightened.
Lorenzo looked at him.
“Don't.”
“He'll kill you.”
“Then let his last choice belong to him.”
Marco stared.
His weapon slowly lowered.
Salvatore's face twisted.
“You pathetic child.”
He aimed.
A shot cracked through the cemetery.
Salvatore collapsed.
But Marco had not fired.
Neither had Lorenzo.
Caterina stood twenty yards away.
A pistol shook in her hands.
Salvatore looked at her.
Shock filled his face.
Caterina walked closer.
“You stole my son.”
“You stole twenty-five years.”
“And you almost turned him into you.”
Salvatore tried raising his weapon.
Antonio arrived and kicked it away.
Salvatore was still alive.
Barely.
Lorenzo looked down.
“You're going to prison.”
Salvatore smiled weakly.
“Men like us don't go to prison.”
Lorenzo looked toward the approaching federal vehicles.
“You're about to learn something new.”
Marco sat against Vittorio's grave.
Lorenzo joined him.
For a long time, they watched agents take Salvatore away.
Marco finally whispered, “I don't expect forgiveness.”
“Good.”
Marco laughed.
Lorenzo looked at him.
“But if you're willing to tell the truth.”
“All of it.”
“Then maybe someday Emma won't remember you as the man who held a gun beside her.”
Marco nodded.
“And you?”
“What will Lucia remember about you?”
May you like
Lorenzo looked at Vittorio's name carved into stone.
“Something different.”
