Page 76 of Vita Mia

“Oh? Mira—“

“We’re going to have to go back to Italy soon. I need to be ready. We’ll head to Chianti with the kids and get them settled first. I’m going to need help with the children, while we stay in Rome. But Eve... she’s finally on a good schedule and she just started school. I don’t know. Should I take her out and put her on the farm, or leave her here in school? Giovanni didn’t tell me.”

“I can’t leave, Armando he’s just a few months old.”

“I know. I wouldn’t expect you to go. I’m sorry for suggesting it.”

“I have a better idea. Why don’t I take them? That way you can be there for Gio and not worry about them.”

“I’ll have to hire help,” Mirabella said as if Catalina hadn’t proposed something more sensible. “Zia and the others will watch the children, in Chianti. For now. Then I’ll send for them to stay in Rome with me. If I have too. He needs us close.”

“Mira? Stop. Please.”

Mirabella frowned.

“You’re right. You have to go. Give me the kids. Let me keep Eve in school and make things normal for them. Gino and Gianni can start school too. We’ll stay here and Eve will be fine with me. You know she will.”

Mirabella looked at Leeza. Her daughter would be walking soon. “What if Giovanni missed her take her first step? He missed it with Eve. I can’t let that happen to him again.”

“How can you prevent it? You know how long these arrests and trials drag out. We have no idea what we face. What will you do? Have her walk to him in prison?”

“I just wished I knew what was happening to him right now. It’s making me crazy.”

“Turn on the television,” Catalina suggested.

Mirabella blinked as if just remembering that the 24/7 news cycles could keep you up to date on the latest. She turned on the television and braced for the report. When the commercials ended Giovanni Battaglia was breaking news. There was a coordinated strike and everyone but Ballistrieri and Santoro had been arrested in the round up.

“Where is Ballistrieri, why isn’t his face on the news?” Mirabella asked.

“Who?”

“Don Drago Ballistrieri,” Mirabella sat down.

“Che?” Catalina asked.

“Drago is Piero... uhm, Tacchini’s cousin. He took over the Tacchini clan after Giovanni killed Piero.”

“Why would Giovanni kill Tacchini? They were friends.”

“You don’t know?”

“I’ve kind of been living in a bubble since Lorenzo kidnapped me. I had enough on my plate. No one ever said to me Tacchini was dead.”

Mirabella stared at the news broadcast and the chaos in the Secondigliano.

“Mira? Why did Giovanni kill his friend?” Catalina pressed.

“It’s a long story. Doesn’t matter the reason. He’s dead.”

“Well, apparently Ballistrieri thinks it does. He wasn’t arrested. That means he’s had something to do with it. Oh, God, do you think he is working with the Carabinieri?”

“Omertà. They wouldn’t,” Mirabella said.

Catalina gave a snort. “Omertà? That means shit to the Camorra. They aren’t Mafia. They are rebels. They pretend Mafia to keep from cutting each other’s throats. Omertà is a Sicilian tenant. Something Patri taught Gio, Lorenzo, Nico, Santo and Domi. Giovanni pushes it into the Camorra to control the clans but if they want to take his power from him then you have to know they will do whatever they have too, to slit his throat. Politician’s, rival gangs, even the Vatican will be involved in all-out power struggle with the Camorra.”

“It always comes back to this,” Mirabella said. Catalina stared at her sister-in-law and tried to work out her cryptic messages in her speech.

“What aren’t you telling me? There’s more? Isn’t there?”

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