The Gate House

That was the maternal instinct again. She was worried about what would become of Edward and Carolyn if they were thrown out into the cold cruel world and told to fend for themselves, like the other ninety-nine percent of humanity.

I didn’t share Susan’s concerns – they’d be fine, and they knew they’d be fine, and I believed we raised them to take care of themselves – but I did understand her thinking, which was, “Why should they live without money if millions are available to them?”

In effect, there was a choice here that most people don’t have – millions, or monthly paychecks?

Well, I’d pick the millions – especially if I got the money because William Stanhope died – but I damn sure wouldn’t kiss anyone’s living ass for the money. However, when it’s about your children, you do smooch a little butt.

Bottom line here was that I was standing between three of the Stanhopes and the Stanhope millions.

But, yes, we’d see what happened tomorrow. I knew what William was going to say to Susan, but I wasn’t absolutely sure what Susan was going to say to William – or what she was going to say to me afterwards.

Susan said, “I’m ready for bed.”

“I’m not.”

“You’re not going to watch the news, are you?”

“I am.”

“Why do you want to see that, John?”

“Everyone enjoys seeing the coverage of a Mafia hit.” I actually hadn’t seen a real mob hit on TV since Sally Tries to Whack Frank, in which I had a supporting role.

Susan a

“Good night.”

She gave me a quick kiss and left.

It was 11:00 P.M., so I turned on the TV, and found the local cable cha

And sure enough, there she was, saying, “Our top story tonight is the brazen gangland murder of Salvatore D’Alessio” – a photograph of a Neanderthal came on the screen – “a reputed capo in one of New York’s organized crime families-”

The caveman’s face was replaced by the lighted exterior of Giova

Well, I’m being silly, so I turned my attention back to the television. There was a lot of police activity out front, and Je

Reputed? Why didn’t Je

Oh what tangled webs we weave, when we stick it in and then we leave.

Anyway, Je

“Anthony! Don’t say Tony.”

There didn’t seem to be a photograph of Anthony available, and Je

And at that moment, unfortunately, Susan walked into the family room, looked at Frank Bellarosa on the TV screen, froze, then turned and left without a word.

Well, it was a little jarring to see Frank on television, looking good, smoking a cigar, and joking with the press. He hadn’t looked as lively the last time I saw him, in his coffin.

I should have shut off the TV and gone to bed, but this was important – not to mention entertaining.

Je

Also, don’t forget – what you sow, you reap.

She continued, “According to reliable sources in law enforcement, Tony Bellarosa has been missing from his home, his place of business, and his usual haunts for about a week, and he did not attend the Gotti funeral yesterday.”

Then she went on about the apparent power struggle that was developing as a result of the vacuum created by Mr. Gotti’s death, and so forth, which brought her back to Anthony and Uncle Sal, then to Anthony’s father, Frank, and then… there I was again, standing next to Frank on the steps of the courthouse. Je

Je

Well, I don’t know about ruthless. To be honest, the only difference between me and Anthony in regard to whacking an a

Je

A young anchorman came on the screen, and in what was supposed to be a spontaneous question to his reporter, he asked, “Je

Je

And she still didn’t mention me by name. Was she protecting me, or torturing me?

Chuck commented on ten years being a long time to wait for revenge, and Je