THE MAFIA KING'S SECRET BRIDE

was buried

en they lowered his c

ss, my shoes were sinking into the soft earth, and everyone

her was a

be mi

rong,

henever so

than trying to explain that

in disappeared b

nside me we

finished speaking. My hands were cold, but

been dead fo

I still expect

always

he was ang

hen he was a

g and touched the envelo

was writ

ar

't ope

t

er piece of his voice, even

r slammed

ard the ceme

dan had st

steppe

dn't

an umbrella, his dark suit untouched by the

w his

yone

n Mor

tti's young

peared in newspapers occasionally, but the stories were always vague-business

died six ye

aken his pla

ed in fr

ondol

odd

nk y

riefly toward my

back

ther lef

hardened

t owe you

re ce

es

studi

y clo

people b

e

me uncom

rty-eight ho

r w

ettle

if I

ssion did

come w

red a

father's funeral

N

ice wa

d me to find you if any

er fal

er conta

recen

didn't you

ed at t

he made m

k another questio

ai

sto

y did my fat

looke

mon

e walk

hed hi

hould have f

it made

disappeared, I final

ph slid in

red a

er was

a man I recogni

o Mor

them was a

ropped the

braids, a yellow dress a

wa

the photo

ere written

ere t

ing becam

hing else insid

l bras

engraved acros

my hand a

ry sur

her's

ked d

drawer closed and tol

ever as

wished

out remembering m

se felt

es were still b

glasses sat

book remained o

exactly where

w there w

into hi

wer was

the br

ope

ck flash drive a

r's hand

this, I failed to

at

t were th

t no

ne vib

wn nu

d the m

photogra

message

er supposed

fr

mber

ame from

nt door

st

el

ans

ved through

l

sur

as inside

drive and backed t

tsteps

me thre

n't b

ce spoke from

ma

ci

the door

re, rain on

you get

d to the flash

omething broke throug

e

id you g

tened

ther l

d past me in

the ph

d quietly, "we

hy

es met

is already looking for