“The last time we were here, Madeline, we brought to your attention how one of your truck drivers Rafeal had delivered a threatening package made out to Cipriani. Do you remember?”
“Vaguely,” Madeline huffs. “No one cares about a package. I’m not happy my grandson is bruised and battered. This is not the kind of treatment I want to see after our decades long partnership.”
I open my mouth to speak again but Dominic squeezes my hand.
“We’ll get to that. I find it funny how after we came to visit you, that driver wound up dead.” Dominic raises his eyebrows.
“It wasn’t me,” Madeline sniffs. She lifts her teacup again, her hand trembling
“And the crazy thing is that I did some digging. The package that was delivered by your driver contained not only a chess piece but a raven feather. Everyone knows that symbol represents the Marconi family. But they’re dead. But you know what’s interesting. It turns out that you had ties with the Marconi Family for many years. And you went to great lengths to make sure your dealings stay buried.”
My face looks exactly like Madeline’s as this is the first time I’m hearing this. Her fingers freeze around the handle of the cup.
“So let’s look at everything here. You have a connection to a mafia family that’s been deceased for years. A raven feather is delivered by your driver. Your grandson owes a huge gambling debt to another mafia family and is responsible for almost killingthe sister of the mafia family you’re currently in a partnership with.” Dominic gives her a sly smile. “This isn’t looking good for you, Madeline.”
Madeline sets her teacup down, the porcelain clinks softly against the saucer. Her spine straightens and her hands fold neatly in her lap. She looks at us. “I had nothing to do with that package or Rafeal’s death. Yes, I did have dealings with the Marconi Family a long time ago but I stopped everything when I started working with Cipriani’s family.” She clears her throat. “I started working with the Capuano Family back when Cipriani’s grandfather was in charge.”
“And you never thought to mention that,” I speak before Dominic can silence me. “Why did you switch?”
She gives me a cold stare. “I don’t belong to any family. I’m a business woman. I go where the money is. I made more money with your family than I did with the Marconi’s. It’s been many decades that I've been working with your family, my loyalty should not be questioned.”
“Fourteen years ago you brought my father muffins, and he died as a result of it. The other day you dropped off muffins again, and my Nonna ended up in the hospital after eating them. That’s not loyalty,” I add.
“What are you trying to say?” she hisses.
“What I’m saying is that we didn’t get a chance to test the muffin my dad ate. However, we did get a hold of the muffins you gave Nonna. They are currently being tested but I’m one hundred percent sure they will come back with traces of cyanide in them. I’m sure the muffins my dad ate contained the same thing.”
“I would never,” Madeline snaps. “How dare you. Why would I poison your family when you’re the ones making me money.”
“It was either you or someone in your circle is really sloppy.” I glare at her.
Dominic leans back on the couch, his arms crossed. “You don’t strike me as sloppy, Madeline.”
“This is ridiculous,” she snarls. “Anyone in your circle could have injected the poison into my muffins. I’m being used as a scapegoat.”
“Why did you drop muffins off at Nonna’s house?” I ask.
“They were a get well present for you and Bruno. I stopped by your house and you weren’t home. Nonna was outside watering the flowers so she took the muffins. I felt bad after all the stuff that’s been happening with your family. You’re my partner. You’re the ones who make me my money, so obviously, I’m going to be concerned.”
“I think you should be more concerned about how your grandson is allowing women to get kidnapped and possibly die in exchange for money to pay a gambling debt.” Dominic reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a piece of paper. “Elio is in a monstrous amount of debt to The Bianchi Family and he’s working for the Neri family to earn money to pay off that debt.”
A flicker of shock crosses Madeline’s face as she reads the paper, but she reins it in fast. Her expression folding into the composed mask she wears too well. Her gaze slides from Dominic to me. She inhales slowly through her nose.
“Elio is young and reckless,” she responds in a clipped voice. “If what you’re saying is true, I’m disappointed, but I had no part in his decisions. My grandson makes his own enemies and I can see he’s just made a very dangerous one by putting one of your family members at risk.”
“Where is Elio?” I ask again.
“I don’t know.”
I can tell by the look in her eyes she’s lying.
Madeline wrings her hands. “Cipriani, what my grandson did is wrong but your sister is okay. You’ve given him the beating ofa lifetime. I will make sure that Elio stays away from your sister forever. Don’t kill him please.”
“If you want to stay on Cipriani’s good side, maybe you can give her some information,” Dominic offers.
She turns to him. “What are you talking about?”
“Whoever is behind all these attacks has a deep attachment to the Marconi family. You worked with them for a long time. You know about the massacre that happened at Aldo Marconi’s daughter’s wedding. Were there any survivors that were direct descendants of the Marconi family?”
