you've decided," Tonio said in parting. He followed Gambino and shut the door behind him.
It took Angelina only minutes to make her decision. A hunter green skirt caught her eye. Maria teamed it with a white button front shirtwaist accented with thin, almost imperceptible gray lines in a fine gray plaid. It had a large bow at the neck that covered from neck to mid bosom. A small, stylish brimmed white felt hat with a tiny white bow completed the ensemble. "Signora Gambino has very good taste. What do you think, Maria?" Angelina primped in front of the full-length mirror.
"You look lovely. Wearing that you could turn the head of any man you wanted."
Angelina smiled as she untied the bow at her neck and began unbuttoning the dozens of tiny buttons that scooted up the front of the blouse. She felt light and wonderful. She'd never owned anything this pretty in her life. She was half afraid Tonio would refuse to buy it. "Let's hope I never have to get out of this in a hurry."
"You're not going to model it for Tonio?"
"No, I'll wear it on the train tomorrow."
"He'll be angry. He gave you instructions."
"Let him." Angelina smiled. "You know, I believe we picked the most expensive outfit in the store. What do you think?"
"I believe you're right."
"Let's tell Tonio that it's the only thing that fit, in case he gets stingy."
"I don't believe, Angelina, that Tonio would ever be stingy with you."
Tonio and Gambino were involved in conversation as Angelina approached from the clothes room. Tonio leaned on the counter. Gambino sat on a stool opposite him. Sal browsed through the wine and swigged from an open bottle as he looked for something more to whet his need for drink. Maria joined him. From the corner of her eye, Angelina saw him offer his wife the bottle. Tonio was too occupied to notice her approach.
"Sebastiano is dead?" Gambino said. He looked suddenly old. His brown eyes no longer sparkled. "How can that be? He was in fine health last fall, when he came through after visiting you in Idaho."
"Sebastiano was sick all winter. He caught the flu. It spread to his lungs. You know they were weak after all those years in the mines." Tonio sounded sympathetic but detached.
"He was only sixty-three. Two years younger than me."
"I'm sorry."
"Why didn't he write and tell me of this? Why didn't you wire me of his death?"
"It was only two weeks ago. I had a lot to do."
"So much to do that you couldn't wire his best friend?"
"I wanted to tell you in person. I planned all along on coming through Chicago and stopping by on my way out of town, but I found you tonight."
Angelina couldn't see Tonio's face, his back was toward her, but Gambino looked stricken.
"It wouldn't have done any good for you to lose business to go to New York for a funeral. It was very small. Just a few old friends. And me." Tonio flicked a piece of lint off his sleeve.
Gambino reached out and gently touched his arm. "What's wrong between you and Sebastiano, eh?"
"Nothing."
"Perhaps you just grieve. He was always your friend, your rock, eh?" Gambino's fingers tightened around Tonio's arm. "He loved you Antonio, never forget that. He told me himself on many occasions. He was proud of you." Gambino's eyes narrowed. Angelina thought Tonio's back stiffened. "He was worried about you. Last fall when he came."
"Sebastiano was always afraid I was going to blow myself up. Yet he, of all people, should have known my skill."
Gambino looked speculative. "Oh, he knew. It was not the Hole that worried him. It was your friends."
Tonio didn't respond.
Gambino implored him with his eyes. "Sebastiano's gone now. I must stand in his place and tell you what he would have wanted. He doesn't like Mr. Baker. He fears you are tight with the wrong people, and that you are flirting with serious trouble. Don't do their dirty work Antonio. No matter how much money they offer you or how noble you feel the cause." The younger man was not heeding his warning. Gambino speared him with a look. "Or how exciting the assignment."
Sal bumped a shelf. A bottle fell and crashed to the floor. Footsteps pattered on the second floor above them. Gambino leaned forward urgently to tell Tonio one more thing before he went for a mop. "You blow that mine up, you'll hang for it. You were his boy, Antonio. Don't disgrace him." Gambino's