Page 99 of The Deadly Candies

A slow smile curled DeMarco’s lips. “Smart kid. You could learn a lot from your baby brother Matteo.”

Matteo face flushed red with embarrassment.

DeMarco set down his pen. "Sit."

The Lesson

What followed was a masterclass inCosa Nostra.

DeMarco spoke ofOmertà—the sacred silence. Of respect. Of blood.

"A man who speaks to the law is already dead," he murmured, pouring three glasses ofrosso. "But a man whobetrayshis family?" He slid a glass toward each of them. "That manwisheshe was dead."

Matteo took the wine but didn’t drink. His pulse hammered in his throat. He and his brother’s entire mission of assimilation was to overthrow his father. DeMarco’s gaze twinkled, as if he sensed that fact between them. They had to be careful. "You want to bemademen? Then understand this—the Family iseverything. More than your wives. More than your children. More than your ownlife. La Cosa Nostra is the thing we do."

Carmelo’s jaw tightened. Matteo knew what he was thinking—Debbie. Kathy.The girls they weren’t supposed to love would certainly be in the Mafia’s cross-hairs for the rest of their lives if their father deemed them a threat or learned about the baby.

DeMarco noticed. His smile turned knife-sharp. "You have doubts?"

Matteo forced a laugh. "No. But you’re not telling us everything.”

“I am not?” DeMatco smirked.

“Yes, the thorned rose. The symbol of the Castellammarese clan. Father killed Don Emilio Cattano, but put it on the Irish, just as Don Emilio had done to the big Boss. Except Don Emilio was able to walk away from the crime because he had the medallion. Now everyone thinks either father or Luciano does. No one’s seen it. No one even speaks about it.”

DeMarco nodded. For the first time since they arrived that evil smirk of his was gone. He narrowed his eyes on Matteo. Seeing wisdom in him over Carmelo for the first time. “How do you know this?”

“I listen, I watch, I learn,” said Matteo.

“Your father doesn’t have that medallion, neither does Luciano. If either of them had it this war simmering between them since Luciano arrest and exile would have ended in one favor or another.”

“So where is it? The medallion? And why is more important than the sacred vows?” asked Carmelo.

DeMarco wiped his hand down his face. “The medallion is a symbol of power. And we Sicilians are traditionalist. Without it in the hands of one man the Five Families can exist in harmony. Each Mafia boss owns their territory. But if one man, like Don Emilio wears it, he is the Boss of all Bosses. Capisce? He is the King. So, we pretend it is out there, my guess is the old black woman keeps it. Why else would Luciano protect her even now from Italy?”

“Do you want it? Does Papa want it?” Carmelo asked.

“EverysoldatoinLa Cosa Nostrawants it. But Luciano was wise to say no, to not claim it but to set up a dynasty where we all are men of importance. If that medallion surfaces the Dons will war with each other and we will ultimately lose. Your father doesn’t understand this. He’s Italian. He thirsts for power only.”

The Sicilian studied them for a long moment. Then, without warning, he reached into his desk and pulled out alupara—a sawed-off shotgun. He laid it on the desk between them. “You want to be made men?”

“We said yes,” Matteo answered.

"Then prove it."

The Realization

As they left hours later, the weight of DeMarco’s lesson pressing down on them, the brothers didn’t speak until they were back in the car.

Carmelo was the first to break the silence. "Jesus.He wants us to kill an innocent? He’s fucking insane,"

Matteo gripped the wheel so hard it creaked. "He’s not justadvisingour father. He’sreplacinghim. He knows Mama Stewart has that medallion."

“She does? How do you know that?” Carmelo asked.

“Doesn’t matter. Luciano is still the man he fears and respects. He’s a traditionalist. He won’t go after Mama Stewart or do anything while Luciano lives, even from Italy.”

“But if Luciano dies? Then what?” Carmelo asked.

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