Page 24 of Mafia Kings: Dario

“A pleasure to meet you! What would you like to eat?”

“Is that fresh bread I smell?”

“Of course – right out of the oven!”

She went to a nearby cutting board and brought me a small loaf ofmugello,one of the traditional breads of Tuscany. She also gave me with a knife, a plate, and a small dish with creamy butter. “That’s from a dairy farm just down the road – you’ll love it. Would you like some olives? Some fruit? Something to drink? If you tell me what you’d like, I’ll fix it for you!”

Cat set me up with asmorgasbordof fruit, olives, and juices, then went back to her work.

“Are you the only cook?” I asked as I ate.

“Hardly! But Mariana was sick today, so I’m handling duties for breakfast. Usually it’s the two of us through lunch, and then a separate staff handles dinner. Weusedto have many more people… until Don Rosolini died, God rest his soul.”

She crossed herself.

I frowned. “When didthathappen?”

“About three months ago.”

“Dario was still in prison when he died?”

The very idea was so sad…

Even though I was afraid of the man and considered him a thug, no one should lose the chance to say goodbye to their parents at the end.

Cat turned around, her eyes wide. “How did you know about that? Did he tell you?”

“No, Filomena did.”

Cat clucked. “That woman should know when to keep her tongue in her mouth.”

I found that slightly funny since Cat was telling me about how the former mafia don had died – but I didn’t bring up the irony.

“So… Dario was in prison when his father died?”

“Yes.” Cat sighed heavily. “It was a sad day, a terrible day.”

“But… why would that impact how many people work in the kitchen?”

Cat winced, like she was considering whether to say more.

Then the chatterbox side of her won out.

“Well, after the don died, a lot of people left.”

“Why?”

“They were afraid.”

I frowned. “Afraid of what?”

Suddenly a man’s voice spoke behind me. “Gossipingagain?”

I whirled around to see Valentino striding into the kitchen.

He smiled at me but passed right on by.

As he walked past Caterina, he grabbed her derriere and squeezed.

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