I survived. My mother was shot—eleven bullets were later found in her body. My elder brother was burned to death when he and several others were herded into the restaurant kitchen, drenched in gasoline, and set on fire. Only a few escaped, including my father, but he was never the same man. For years I had to listen to his whining, hear him justifying his cowardice. When I was finally old enough, I went to northern Italy. But all that time, at university and later, I knew I would go back and find out who was responsible for the extermination of the di Santis family. In the end it wasn’t even difficult to find Trevini’s name. But it was hard to get him to confide in me. For three years I’ve been licking his boots, disowning my family, until at last he came out with parts of the truth. I sold myself to him. And now it’s finally payback time.”
“Why now?” asked Rosa. “Why today in particular?”
“Because otherwise you’d have done it, Signorina Alcantara. Because after all you’ve seen on that video, I suspect you, too, have a number of questions to ask the avvocato. And because there’s someone else who will very soon be demanding satisfaction.”
“Someone else?” The words were hardly out of Rosa’s mouth before she understood. “It was you! You promised Alessandro the evidence that the Carnevares were innocent of the Hungry Man’s arrest!”
“Unfortunately, events have rather overtaken one another,” replied the contessa. “I would have liked to take my time about it, be more circumspect. However, Trevini insisted on sending you the video. Then I knew it all had to be done very fast.”
Trevini uttered a hoarse crack of laughter. “You talked to Alessandro Carnevare? Cristina, are you out of your mind? There won’t be one stone left to stand on here once—”
Narrowing her eyes, Rosa stared at the old man. “You gave the Hungry Man away all those years ago? And pinned the blame on the Carnevares?”
He snorted quietly but didn’t answer.
Di Santis nodded slowly. “There aren’t many files and documents in this place—his memory really is as phenomenal as he claims. But there is a letter from the state prosecutor’s office, now thirty years old. It promises him immunity from prosecution in return for his cooperation in the arrest of the capo dei capi. At the time he’d just begun working for your grandmother.”
Rosa groaned. “Costanza was involved in this as well?”
Trevini looked up at her again and seemed to be gathering all his powers. “Why do you suppose the Alcantaras were closer than anyone to the new capo dei capi? Why did Salvatore Pantaleone think so much of your family, Rosa? I brokered the deal with Pantaleone at the time. He, Costanza, and I made sure that the Hungry Man would disappear—to be succeeded by Pantaleone. If not for that agreement, the Alcantara possessions would long ago have been swallowed up by one of the larger and more determined clans! You owe what you are today to me and no one else, Rosa. And now show your appreciation and put an end to this farce!”
Fury made Rosa’s voice hoarse. “The Hungry Man is having the Carnevares hunted down, because he thinks they’re the guilty ones!”
“Haven’t you learned anything?” roared Trevini angrily. “Are you seriously going to tell me that you mourn for the New York Carnevares? The same men who had a hand in what happened to you? Or doesn’t their death secretly fill you with satisfaction? Listen to your heart. How do you feel knowing that Michele might fall victim to an assassination attempt? Damn it, Rosa, don’t play the righteous innocent!”
“The Hungry Man has set killers on Alessandro! And now his men are after me as well.”
“I told you to keep away from that Carnevare bastard. If you’d listened to me, everything would be fine.” Trevini gradually seemed to be retrieving his old self-confidence. “It was all planned, down to the very last detail. Who could have expected you to go throwing yourself at a Carnevare, of all people? You can hardly hold me responsible for the consequences.”
The contessa said calmly, “He’s lost, and he knows it. He’d do anything to—”
Rosa didn’t wait for her to finish. With a few bounds she leaped down the tiled steps to the bottom of the drained swimming pool. Trevini raised a protective hand in front of his face as she crouched beside him.
“You’re pathetic, Trevini. If the Hungry Man succeeds, then you’ll have not