Page 307 of Niccolo

“Hmph,” the Widow grumbled, but she didn’t refuse the offer.

“Who will be accompanying Fausto?” Dario asked.

I was proud of him; he was asking all the right questions with just a hint of skepticism.

“If Fausto wants an escort, I’ll send along myconsigliere,”Severino said. Then he smiled. “I’m rather fond of mine, so I won’t knowingly send him off to his death.”

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The three-storypalazzowhere we were staying was astounding. Everything was made of white marble, from the walls to the floors to the giant pillars out front. Large arrangements of fresh flowers – roses, irises, tulips, hydrangeas – filled every room like living art.

It wasn’t as big as our home in Tuscany, but when your next-door neighbors are a medieval observatory and a 12th-century church, it has a certain charm of its own.

“The onsite staff will take care of your every need,” Don Severino said, “and my men will guard you with their lives – I swear upon my grandchildren’s souls. If you need anything, day or night, simply tell one of my men to contact me. Have a good night’s sleep, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the Council.”

Then he smiled and left us to get used to our accommodations.

A maid led me to my room, which had a balcony that overlooked the western side of the Palatine Hill. The ruins were strewn with the remains of palaces that had long since turned to rubble.

To the north, I could just barely see the Forum – the heart of ancient Roman social, political, and religious life. Stone columns were the only traces of temples devoted to Jupiter and Venus. I could make out the rough outline of the Senate, which ruled Rome before the emperors took control.

In a way, the hill was both the cradle of the Roman Empire… and its grave.

I left my room and went to find Dario. He and Alessandra were in an enormous suite next to mine.

“We should have a meeting,” I suggested. “There’s a parlor on the first floor that looks like it has plenty of room.”

“Gather everyone up,” he said. “I’ll be down in 20 minutes.”

I nodded and left to go tell the Widow, my brothers, and all their wives.

All their wives –

I was still having a hard time wrapping my head around that one.

Twenty minutes later, everyone was seated in a circle in the parlor – except for me. I paced back and forth in the center as I explained what would happen the next day. I spoke in English so that Mei-ling could understand.

“For those of you who have never experienced a Council before, it’s a meeting of all the families of theCosa Nostra. Typically, only dons and theirconsiglieresare allowed into the council chamber. Or… adonna,” I said, inclining my head towards the Widow.

“However, tomorrow will essentially be a trial. Our family has brought charges against Fausto, and the other families willhear us present our side. Dario and I have agreed that I will argue our case.

“Since it is a trial, some of you will be called to testify. You will be seated outside the chamber for the majority of the proceedings, then called in one by one to give your testimony.”

I gave them a summary of who I intended to call.

Our two star witnesses would be Roberto and Rachel.

Roberto had been on a telephone call where Fausto had tried to bribe Lau to kill him…

And Rachel had been hired directly by Fausto to assassinate Dario.

Everyone else was a dicey proposition.

The Widow and Lucia had interacted with Aurelio but not Fausto.

Bianca had seen Aurelio with the Agrellas before the attack in Florence.

None of them had direct evidence implicating our uncle –

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