Chapter 12 - THE FALL OF MORETTI
The federal authorities arrived an hour later.
Moretti and his men were dragged out in handcuffs.
The ledger was handed over to a trusted federal prosecutor.
A prosecutor who had been on the Gallo family payroll for a decade.
Justice in this city was complicated.
It was messy.
And it was ours.
Dante and I sat on the porch of the mountain cabin.
The rain had finally stopped.
A pale moon broke through the clouds.
"You handled yourself well back there," Dante said, handing me a cup of black coffee.
"I learned from the best," I replied, taking a sip.
"What happens now?"
"The restaurant is gone," I said.
"We'll rebuild it," Dante replied.
"Bigger. Better."
"And my job as a waitress?"
Dante smiled faintly.
"You're a partner now, Nora. Or did you forget the family name?"
I looked down at the silver key resting in my palm.
Everything had changed.
And yet, everything felt right.
"What about Moretti's remaining assets?" I asked.
"They're ours now," Dante said.
"The Gallo family controls the city."
"And the secrets?"
"Buried with my father," Dante said softly.
"And protected by us."
We sat in silence for a long time.
Listening to the wind through the pines.
The war was over.
May you like
The blood debt was paid.
And we were ready for whatever came next.
