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“He’ll be up any minute. Thecarusiwill tell him when. They comeup in about an hour and get themselves to the wash station. They know where their food is. They put themselves to bed. Most of them fall asleep before dinner.”
“I bet.” Gaetano couldn’t hold his tongue. “Don’t you feel bad for them?”
“No. It’s a shit job, no matter how old you are.”
“But they’re just children. They don’t have a choice.”
“And I do?” Constantino snorted, then walked away.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
Dante was on fire, filled with fury. His eyes and throat burned, but there was no time to lose. He and Gaetano armed themselves with picks, hurried to Tonelli’s office, and peeked in the window. It held a cluttered table and chair, a filthy file cabinet, and a cot against the wall, where Tonelli slept with his mouth open.
Dante’s heart pounded. It was time for justiceandrevenge. He glanced at Gaetano, filled now with righteous anger of his own. Gaetano had told him about the kidnappings of the other boys, and the lawyer had the spirit of an avenging angel.
Dante and Gaetano hurried to the office door and burst inside, slamming the door against the wall.
Tonelli woke with alarm, scrambling to a sitting position. “What—”
“You kidnapped me!” Dante raised the pick, his muscles engorged after the day’s labor. “I should kill you for what you did! I should kill you right now!”
“No, don’t, please!” Tonelli cowered, putting up his hands. “I don’t know what you are talking about!”
“Yes, you do! You kidnapped me from the Saint Rosalia festival and gave me to Renzo in the madhouse!”
“Wait, listen! I know Renzo, but I didn’t kidnap you. A stevedore named Claudio kidnapped you.”
“I don’t believe you!” Dante raised the pick higher.
“Stop! No! It’s true, I swear.” Tonelli backed up in terror. “Claudio did it, not me! I think he’s dead, he disappeared after you were kidnapped! Renzo couldn’t find him, he told me!”
“Why would Claudio kidnap me? Why?”
“He was paid to! He told me so himself! He did it for the money!”
Dante sensed Tonelli was telling the truth. “Who paid him to? Who?”
“Agabellottonamed Franco Fiorvanti! Now he’s Don Franco, the boss of Palermo!”
“Why would he do it? What did Don Franco have against me?”
“I don’t know! Back then, Don Franco oversaw Baron Zito’sgiardinoin the Conca d’Oro!”
“BaronZito?” Dante wondered if Baron Zito was the nobleman who had an affair with his mother. “Did Don Franco kidnap meforBaron Zito?”
“What do you think? If you work for a baron, you do what he says!”
Dante’s mind raced. Baron Zito could be his natural father. “Where’s Baron Zito?”
“I think he has a villa in Bagheria, by the sea. I heard Don Franco burned down his palazzo in Palermo. That’s all I know! I swear, I’m innocent!”
“Innocent?” Gaetano interjected, stepping forward. “There are thirtycarusihere, and seven are from Palermo. You kidnapped them. They told me you brought them here. I think you worked with Renzo after Claudio did. I bet Renzo stowed them in the madhouse until you brought them here asslaves.”
“I didn’t do it, I swear to you!”
“Prove it! You told me you have contracts for each boy! Where?”
“Top drawer!” Tonelli pointed with a shaking hand while Dante brandished the pick.
