Page 7 of Five Survive

A huge deal,Red thought.

“It’s a homicide case; a murder involving two members of the biggest organized crime gang in the city,” Oliver said, a shadow of disappointment in his eyes as he didn’t get the reaction he was looking for from Simon. He elaborated: “TheliteralPhiladelphia Mafia.”

“Oh, cool,” Simon said, between bites. “Didn’t know the Mafia was still a thing, I loveThe Godfather.‘Revenge is a dish best served cold,’ ” he said in a dreadful Italian American accent.

“Very much still a thing,” Oliver said, settling in to his story now that he had Simon’s attention.

Could Red climb under the table to get out? Urgh, no: too many legs.

“There was some leadership dispute going on in the crime family, I won’t bore you with the details. And at the end of August last year, one of the leaders, Joseph Mannino, was killed by another, Francesco Gotti. Allegedly, I should say. Shot him twice in the back of the head.”

Red tried not to picture it, studying the curtains again. She had heard it all so many times; she probably knew the details even better than Oliver. Not that she was going to say so.

“We are officially in South Carolina!” Arthur called, pointing to a green sign out the front, illuminated by the RV’s headlights.

Oliver kept talking: “Mom is the lead prosecutor taking Frank Gotti to trial for the murder. The pretrial conference is in a couple of weeks—”

April25 to be exact, Red thought, surprised she had remembered that particular detail. That wasn’t like her.

“—and then it’s jury selection and the actual trial.”

“Cool,” Simon said again. “Mrs.Lavoy, taking on the mob.”

Oliver seemed to swell a little, sitting up taller, blocking Red in even more. “But it’s not just all that. She had to fight to even get this case. Normally a crime like this would be considered a federal case and would be tried by the US attorney’s office. They’ve tried to prosecute Frank Gotti multiple times, on various charges like drug trafficking and racketeering, and have never once got a conviction. But Mom managed to argue that this murder was under the DA’s jurisdiction because it wasn’t specifically related to drug trafficking and because Frank Gotti killed Mannino himself; he didn’t pay a hit man like they normally do.”

Simon yawned; Oliver was losing his crowd. But he didn’t take the hint.

“And we know that,” Oliver continued, “because there was an eyewitness. Someone actually saw Frank Gotti walking away after shooting Mannino dead. And that’s why Mom’s so stressed—because the entire case rests on this witness’s testimony. And, as you can imagine, in cases against the Mafia, lead witnesses are often intimidated out of testifying or straight-up killed. So Mom has had to make sure the witness has been kept entirely anonymous in all the court documents.Witness Ais what the press are calling him.”

“I see,” Simon said. Did he regret asking? Red certainly regretted having to hear it all again.

“But if she wins this case,” Oliver said, eyes flashing as though this were the most important part of the story, so Simon better stay with him, “it will be career-defining. The current DA is retiring after this term, and if Mom gets this conviction, she’s basically guaranteed to win the Democratic primary this year and be elected DA.”

“Let’s not jinx it,” Maddy chimed in, and it was nice to hear someone else’s voice for a change, other than Oliver’s and the one in Red’s head.

“No”—Oliver nodded down at his sister—“but I’m saying, if Frank Gotti is found guilty, Mom has a great chance of becoming DA.” He turned back to Simon. Poor Simon. “Her biggest competition at the moment is Mo Frazer, another assistant DA. He’s very popular, especially with the African American communities, but if Mom gets this conviction, I think it will give her the edge over him.”

Oliver finally drew back, bowing his head like he was waiting for someone to personally congratulate him.

“Congratulations,” Red said, resisting the urge to add one small clap. Simon took the opportunity to escape.

“Shut up, Red,” Oliver replied, trying to make it a joke. There were times when Red thought of Oliver as a borrowed big brother; she’dknown him her entire life, longer than Maddy if you thought about it like that. But then there were other times she wasn’t even sure he remembered her name. Not like it was a difficult one: think primary colors.

“She’s done incredibly well for herself. DA before the age of fifty. Of course, by that time I’m going to be US attorney general,” he said, again like it was a joke, but it really really wasn’t. Oliver managed to turn everything into a dick-measuring contest. Red snorted at that, giving the voice in her head a pat on the back.

“What?” Oliver turned to her, his wide shoulders even wider now, a blockade either side of his neck. “Okay, so what are you doing with your life? I actually can’t remember which college you’re going to this year, remind me?”

A lump in Red’s throat.

“Harvard,” she said without blinking. “Full-ride scholarship.”

Oliver’s eyes snapped wider, bottom lip hanging open. She had just one-upped his prelaw at Dartmouth with a premed girlfriend, how dare she? Red enjoyed the look while she could.

“Wh…R-really?” he said.

“Yeah,” she said. “Early admission.”

“Red,” Maddy said in a mock-warning voice, her eyes silently scolding. She used to enjoy annoying Oliver too.

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