AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Alive?” she breathes, horrified.
“Alive. In the case of unmarried men, the closest blood relatives are given the execution right. That would be you and your husband. But—given the circumstances—with your permission, I would extend the right to Ava. They were as good as married. I’d like to acknowledge that for her.”
Maria nods.
“God, of course. Ava was already like a daughter to me. And Phillip, he doesn’t need that kind of choice on him. Just as long as someone does it.”
“We will,” I promise her, clutching her cold hand between mine. “We’ll get justice for him.”
She nods weakly.
“Thank you, Sal.”
The words grate against something in me. I can’t imagine having to thank the person who let my child die. Flipping through the photo albums, Contessa smoothly distracts the woman again. I realize this would be a much harder meeting without her here. Too impersonal. Business-like. I watch her shoulder the woman’s pain more gracefully than I can, navigate it like she has a compass that I can’t read.
Some of the family arrive, bringing dishes of warm food and their own sympathies. The customary visits for the grieving. As we give our goodbyes, we excuse ourselves from the house.
Contessa promises her the family’s support; I promise her the family’s vengeance.
Contessa and I walk back toward the house.
“What was that about an execution?” she asks.
“It’s an old, infrequent tradition. Your family may not have it. If we take someone into custody whose killed of one ours, the closest kin is permitted to get their justice. Their pound of flesh, you could say. It’s usually the wife. Ava and Vinny may as well count as married, in my eyes. That relationship was stronger than most marriages I’ve known. Lasted longer.”
She doesn’t answer.
“You don’t like the tradition, I take it,” I say.
She shakes her head.
“I never hope to find out if I do or not. Does Ava have to…”
“No,” I interrupt. “Sometimes it’s symbolic, if the person doesn’t want to do it themselves. They can appoint someone to do it for them. She can put the gun in whatever hand she chooses. But I can’t have another Vera. Maybe if Ava gets her justice, it’ll help.”
Tessa looks at me, but she doesn’t comment.
“Maybe,” she says softly.
I’m surprised she isn’t arguing me down. Her face is soft and sad again. She’s let the sunny mask slip now that we’re not in Maria’s sight. I stop before we reach the shadow of the house.
“Go back inside.”
“Where are you going?” she asks, alarmed and understandably confused.
“To do my next house call. Noctus.”
“Then shouldn’t I—”
“No,” I cut across, before she can even think about offering to go with me. “This one, I have to do alone.”
I kiss the top of her head. She doesn’t argue, even as her big eyes still search me, looking for the reason. She looks back to the house.
“You want me to go back to my room?”
The word alone hangs in the air between us, unspoken but still loud.
“I’m sure you know the way.”
