Page 210 of Niccolo

It takes a lot to astound me.

Vicari admitting it, though,definitelyastounded me.

It was as if someone hired a murderer to kill you and then confessed it right to your face.

“…is that so?” I asked, trying to keep a neutral tone.

“He was the capo of a bunch of towns in the south. I didn’t have anything to do with the Agrellas, though,”Vicari said. He sounded completely unconcerned whether I believed him or not.“Mezzasalma wanted to leave Sicily and branch out. I gave him my permission.”

“Even if ‘branching out’ might start a war with another family?”

“I doubt the Agrellas are going to start one any time soon,”he said with gallows humor.

“…true.”

I decided to not point out that Mezzasalma had started one withus– unfortunately for Mezzasalma.

“What the fuck do you want?”Vicari asked.

What did I want?

To tell this asshole where he could stick his attitude.

But he was a don –

And a Sicilian, at that.

There was nothing more dangerous than a Sicilian mafia don, so I kept my tone respectful.

“Mezzasalma wasn’t working alone,” I said. “My uncle Fausto helped him murder the Agrellas. And they both attempted to kill me and my brothers.”

“Really,”Vicari said, a tiny bit of disbelief in his voice.“Fausto did that.”

“Yes. Now we’re looking for allies to help us deal with my uncle.”

“And you want MY help,”Vicari said contemptuously, like he couldn’t believe I was asking.

“Yes.”

“You’ve got bigger problems. Once Mezzasalma gets ahold of you, you and your entire family are fucked.”

Okay, fuck this asshole.

“Mezzasalma’s dead,” I snarled.

“…really,”Vicari said, and for the first time, he sounded impressed.

“Yeah. REALLY.”

There was a long pause on the other end.

“Perhaps I misjudged you and your family. What exactly are you looking for?”

Not quite believing the turn our conversation had taken, I told him exactly what we needed.

Then he told me whathewas looking for.

I knew no one else in my family would be happy to hear his offer…

---