Page 5 of Fall
“I’m not looking for any trouble, Mr. Romano, sir,” I speak up, trying to be respectful.
He looks me up and down, seeming to make a quick assessment, then waves his man off me. “What business do you have in there?”
I turn toward the intimidating man, standing my ground although I'm scared as fuck right now. "My kid brothers are in this foster home, but they won't letme see them."
“Come here,” he says, motioning for me to move past the two guards ahead of him to get closer.
I approach him slowly, showing my hands. God fucking knows I don’t want to be shot at again tonight.
He studies my face for a long beat then nods thoughtfully. “What's your name, son?”
“Antonio.”
He lights a cut cigar that he pulls out of a breast pocketand nods to his man nearest me. “Search him.”
“I don’t have any weapons,” I say, but the guard does a thorough pat down before letting me go.
Romano takes a long puff of the cigar and looks at me again. “Do I know you?”
I shake my head. “I don't think so, sir.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What your last name?”
“DeLucci.”
His eyesnarrow as though he sees some hint of recognition on my face. “Danny DeLucci's kid?”
“Yes,” I tell him. “I suppose I am, sir.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I've never met my father in my life. The name Daniel DeLucci is on my birth certificate. That’s how I know the name. My mother never talked about him.”
He nods with understanding. “What are you doing out here at thistime of night?”
“Like I said, sir. I'm here for my brothers. This is their foster home.”
“Where's your mother?” he asks flatly.
“Ellingwood cemetery.”
“Your mother died?”
I purse my lips and give him a subtle nod, pushing away the vivid image of her face.
“How long ago?”
“A year and four months.”
“And what about you? You think you're toogrown up to be in foster care? Too big to live under the Sansoretti's roof?”
“My brothers and I don't belong in foster care, sir. None of us. But they gave my brothers to the Sansoretti's, and put me in a shithole.”
“Child protective services split you up?” he asks, his voice harder than before.
