The other options were blood and saliva. Getting the saliva would be tricky.
The blood…maybe I could figure out a way to trick Benito somehow so that I could get a sample of it. Perhaps get Gino to go in there and start shit, bring out a knife and slash Benito. That would be one option.
Another option would be a ruse of some sort. Was Benito charitable? I could try to convince him to give blood for a blood drive. There usually was a blood drive happening somewhere in town. Or maybe I could convince him to…I could maybe convince him to go in for a physical. The physician would draw his blood, and then I could bribe the doctor to give me a sample.
In the end, I decided that those weren’t good ideas. Not foolproof enough. A much better idea would be for Rafaela to drug his drink, so that he would go into a deep sleep, and then simply swab his cheek with a q-tip.
So, I called Rafaela to tell her my idea.
“That sounds like a great idea,” she said. “I wish I would have thought of that before. Now, of course, if the DNA tests show that Marco is the father, we don’t ever tell Benito that. It’s better that Benito never knows for sure.”
“I agree.”
So, the plan was set into motion.
Three days later, Rafaela met me at my hotel room. I had moved into the Ritz while I tried to get all of this sorted out. I hadn’t yet talked to Bianca, because I didn’t know what to say. I knew that she was beyond pissed off at me, as well she should be. I was trying hard to make it right, but I didn’t know if anything that I did would be enough. I hoped that it would be, but I didn’t know. Perhaps she would never forgive me. That would be devastating, to say the least, but I would still be happy knowing that I played a small part in possibly bringing Benito and Stefano together as true father and son.
“Oh,” she shook her head. “This wasn’t easy to get, let me tell you. Benito and I haven’t been on the best of terms, and it’s been years and years since we’ve just relaxed together and had a drink. He was very suspicious of me asking him if I could come over and talk about old times. I never do that, of course. I finally convinced him, and we had scotch, just like you said.”
“Good.” I looked at her hands, hoping that I would see evidence that she was successful in getting a cheek swab, but they seemed to be empty. I assumed that it was in her black purse, which she laid out on my table, but, then again, I wasn’t entirely sure that she was successful. I hoped that she was, but I didn’t know.
“I found this sleeping agent that was on the black market. It came with a guarantee that the person who took this drug would sleep through a 7.0 earthquake. No joke. That was the guarantee. Maybe I didn’t need a drug that hard, but god forbid he would have woken up while I was putting a swab in his mouth.” She shuddered. “How the hell would I have been able to explain that one? I promised him never to do a DNA paternity test on Stefano. He would kill me if he knew what we were doing. Kill me. Maybe literally.”
“Is he going to be okay if the test shows that he’s the father?”
Rafaela nodded. “Yes. I’m sure that he will be absolutely thrilled.” She hung her head. “Benito told me the reason why he was so adamant that Izzy has a legitimate child. It’s not just that he doesn’t approve of her having that baby out of wedlock. That’s part of it, don’t get me wrong. But he doesn’t want to lose Izzy. He’s afraid that he would if Izzy had the baby alone. He’s very old-school about every child needing to have a father and mother at home. He saw what happens when there’s only a mother at home, because he was raised by his mother. His father died before he was born. Died in the Vietnam War. His mother had a break-down trying to raise Benito and his five siblings. He doesn’t want that for Izzy.”
Rafaela shook her head. “His mother ended up being committed to the sanitarium after his father died. Benito associated that with the fact that she had to raise her children without their father. That’s the real reason why he was desperate, absolutely desperate, for Izzy to be married when she had her baby. Benito isn’t a bad man. I know that his traditional ideas about Izzy comes from a place of deep hurt, not that he’s trying to control her or bully her. I hope that you understand that.”
Somehow, Rafaela’s words stung me. I was looking for a way out of my marriage with Izzy, partially because I resented Benito for forcing me into it, but mainly because I was in love with her sister. Now that I knew the real reason why Benito wanted Izzy to be married, it made it all the more shitty that I was looking for a way to dump her. Benito was truly looking out for her best interests. Who knew?
“So what happened after his mother was committed?”
“He and his siblings ended up in the system in Sicily, because none of his mother’s siblings could care for the children. They were all too poor. Benito ended up running away from one of the homes where he was being cared for and started running for one of the local families when he was only 12. That was how he got started in the business.”
I nodded my head. I didn’t have to speak words to Rafaela. She already knew how I felt about Bianca. As selfish as it was, I still had a burning desire to be with Bianca for the rest of my life. How I was going to get there, especially now, was anybody’s guess.
She sighed, seemingly reading my mind. “I know how you feel about Bianca. I will just ask you to try to work things out with Izzy. It would break Benito’s heart for Izzy to be abandoned. And you don’t want to break Benito’s heart. He can be extremely violent when he feels that he is wronged. I would never want something to happen to you.”
I cleared my throat, not wanting to go there with Rafaela. “I assume you have the DNA sample.”
She nodded her head. “Right here.” She took a tiny jar out of her purse, and, in it, were five q-tips. “I pray that this test comes out the right way. I would love for Benito to get past his resentment of Stefano and really embrace his son. Benito needs to know that Izzy isn’t his last chance to have a blood-related grandchild. I suppose that Bianca told you about how she’s not able to have children?”
“She did.”
Rafaela sighed. “A tragedy. I hated to hear her story. To know that she went through something like I did. Bianca doesn’t deserve that.” Then she chuckled. “And Nico. Well, darling Nico. I love him, of course, no matter what. Benito not so much. I wish that Nico would be willing to have a baby with a surrogate, because then the Fattore line could be carried on through him. Benito would never recognize that baby, of course, but I wish that he would.”
I looked at the jar and held it up. “Maybe if this test comes out the right way, Benito can know that, no matter what, his line will be carried on with Stefano one day.”
“That’s assuming that your brother can get the murder charge overturned.”
“He will. I trust him. He might be a new attorney, but he’s brilliant. Your son is in good hands.”
“I believe you.”
Rafaela and I ended up talking through the night. I found out more about Bianca’s childhood, how she was growing up, how Rafaela was devastated when Benito cut her out of Bianca’s life. Rafaela had a complicated relationship with Benito and her children, but she loved all of them.
I hoped that I would be able to play a part in making it all come together for Rafaela.
And Bianca.
Twenty-Six
Rafaela took the swab over to a DNA analysis place, and the results were in within a two days. I didn’t open the envelope, which was sent to me, because I wanted to be with Rafaela when we both got the news.
“They’re in,” I said to her. “Let’s meet.”
We met in a bar in Midtown, and we both took a seat in a back booth. “I need a glass of bourbon as big as my head,” she said as she sat down. “Because if this doesn’t go well…” She shook her head and started to cry. “I’ve spent my entire life in denial. My whole life, I’ve imagined that Stefano is Benito’s. That’s the only way that I’ve been able to cope. The only way that I’ve been able to not feel irrational hatred for my son. That�
��s the real reason why I’ve never asked for a DNA test before now. I don’t want to know the answer. I want to keep living in my delusion that Stefano wasn’t the result of my being raped. That he was the result of my life and love with Benito.”
She sighed as she ordered a scotch for herself and one for meeting . “This whole thing tore us apart, Benito and me. It sickened me the way that he treated Stefano. The way that he clearly favored Nico over Stefano. The boys were very close in age, so it was noticeable. Benito was always so harsh with Stefano in disciplining him. He let Nico get away with things that Stefano never could. He lavished gifts on Nico and the girls and conveniently ‘forgot’ to get Stefano anything at all.” Her tears streamed down her cheeks. “He would beat Stefano over the smallest things. Never touched Nico or the girls. I finally had enough and…” She took a deep breath as the two drinks arrived. “Well, I left him. Sent Bianca and Izzy away that summer and got packed and left. Benito told me that if I had contact with my children that he would kill me. I believed him. I lost contact with them for so many years….”
I put my hands on hers. “You have contact with them now. And you have a chance to make things right, finally. With Stefano and Benito.”
“Yes,” she said, looking at the envelope with shaking hands. “But what if…” She shook her head. “What if I’m no longer able to lie to myself? What then?”
“Think of the alternative.”
She nodded her head. “Yes. The alternative is that Benito was the father all along. And all those years wasted. All those years that made Stefano build up a hatred towards his father. Stefano tried so hard to please him, which is why he became a soldier in the first place. He wanted his father to be proud of him.” She laughed a little. “He wanted his father to be proud.”
She looked out the window for a long time. I could see Bianca in her mannerisms - the way the her delicate hand wiped her brow and settled on her cheek. Her expressions were also similar to her daughter. I felt for the woman, really felt for her. Her life was about to change – either for the horrible or for the absolute best.
I slowly put the envelope in front of her. “You don’t have to do this. You can…”
“No. I need to do this. At long last, I need to do this.”
At that, she rapidly picked up the envelope. “I need to just rip off the bandaid. Just rip it off. Take whatever is on this envelope and deal with it. Just deal with it.”
With a mighty breath, she brought out the page and…her entire face lit up. She put her hand to her chest and the tears started coming down her cheeks again. “Benito is Stefano’s father. Oh my god. I knew it. I knew it all along. All those years wasted…” She laughed. “Oh my god, I’m so relieved. So relieved. I can’t even tell you.” Her tears started in earnest. “Oh my god, I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.”
I got up and she stood up and we embraced. “We need to tell Benito, and tell him soon. We need him on our side in getting Stefano out of that place. Benito will get with that judge, and he can get him to vacate the original drug charge. From there, it’s just a matter of Gianni working his magic on the murder charge and Stefano will be free.”
Rafaela rapidly nodded her head. “Free. I’ll have my son back. And maybe Benito won’t hate him anymore. Thank you, Lucca. Thank you for all you’ve done.”
“I needed to do this. To clear my conscience and…”
“For Bianca.” Rafaela nodded her head. “I know. What are you going to do?”
I sighed. “Stay married to Izzy. Try to forget about Bianca.”
Rafaela looked at me sympathetically. “I know how hard this is for you. You want to be with your soul mate. Your true love. It’s not Izzy. I’m sorry for that. I truly am.”
I smiled ironically. “It’s okay. I made my bed.”
Rafaela patted my hand. “Well, let’s go and see Benito and get this whole thing done.”
At that, we left the bar.
Benito was sitting in his office on the phone when Rafaela and I went to visit him. He looked at both of us and just nodded. He obviously wasn’t expecting us, but he didn’t seem too upset at seeing us. “Lucca,” he said to me. “I have been meaning to speak with you. Come in, come in. Sit down.” He nodded at his ex-wife. “Rafaela.”
“Benito,” Rafaela said respectfully.
We sat down.
“Lucca,” he said. “Izzy has been in contact with me. You haven’t been living at your apartment with her and Bianca. I wanted to ask you why.”
I took a deep breath, not knowing how to answer that question. “I’ve needed a break.”
“A break. You were just married. I know that you didn’t want to marry her, but she needs you. I need you to at least try to make a real marriage with her. I would like for you to return to your apartment at once.”
“I will.” I hesitated. “I just needed some breathing room. To work through some business deals.”
Benito nodded. “I understand. But you need to get back as soon as you can.” He then turned his attention onto Rafaela. “Rafaela,” he said. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Rafaela looked at me nervously and I nodded. “Benito. I need to speak with you about Stefano.”
Benito looked skeptical. “What about my son? He’s in prison, where he belongs. And probably where he will die.” He shook his head. “Where he belongs,” he repeated. “Where he belongs.”
Rafaela stood up. “He’s your son. How can you-“
“Quiet. I do not want to go through this again with you, Rafaela. Now, if you’ve come to speak to me about your son, you are wasting your time. I would like for both of you to leave, and Lucca, you need to return home at once.”
Rafaela looked at me desperately. She didn’t know how to bring up the DNA results and I didn’t quite know what to tell her. Or Benito, for that matter.
“Mr. Fattore, there’s something that you need to know about Stefano,” I said.
“There’s nothing that I need to know about Stefano. He’s dead to me.”
“Why is he dead to you? Why?” Rafaela asked desperately. “Why can’t you treat him just like you do all your other children?”
“You know why. Now go, Rafaela. Go now.” He stood up, trying to intimidate Rafaela and me. “I do not have the time for this. There are important contracts that I am trying to review. I do not have time to talk to you about the same thing over and over and over again.”
Rafaela looked at me, again with desperation in her eyes.
I cleared my throat. “Mr. Fattore, with all due respect, regarding Stefano, things are not the way that you believe them to be.”
“What does that supposed to mean?”
I gave him the piece of paper, which I held in my hand. “Here. This is what explains it.”
Benito looked at the paper and his face immediately paled.
And then, out of the blue, I saw something I never thought that I would ever see.
Benito Fattore was crying.
Twenty-Seven
“My son,” Benito said softly. “Oh my god. My son.”
He stood up and Rafaela did as well. The two embraced quietly. “Benito, now we know,” Rafaela said. “Now we know. He is your son. He’s always been your son.”
Benito shook his head. It was as if his entire life flashed before his eyes. All those years that he treated Stefano harshly – years that he could have been treating Stefano like he would any other child of his – seemed to flash through his eyes, which were filled with grief. “Stefano. Caged like an animal. My son, caged like an animal.” He shook his head. “This can’t be happening. I must get him out of there at once.”
I felt the weight of the world being lifted off my shoulders as I realized that the wheels were put into motion. Stefano was going to get out of that place and Bianca was going to get her brother back. She probably still wouldn’t ever forgive me. So be it. She was going to be happy having her brother back, and making her happy was what mattered the most to me.
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“Mr. Fattore, my brother Gianni has written a motion to reopen the murder case and get it set aside. He’s subpoenaed the medical records of Vinelli, and he should be able to get things vacated on the basis that Vinelli didn’t die because of Stefano’s punch. If you contact your judge and get him to vacate the original charge, Stefano should be out of prison by Christmas.”
Benito nodded his head. “Christmas with my son. My son.” He shook his head. “All those years….” He started to cry again. “Rafaela, will you ever forgive me?”
“Yes,” Rafaela said. “I already have. Years ago.”
I left Benito’s office about a half hour later because Gianni was calling me on the phone. “Lucca,” he said excitedly. “I successfully subpoenaed Vinelli’s medical records. He was clean, no obvious health problems.”
My heart sunk. “You mean that Vinelli died from the punch after all?”
“No. I also filed a motion, a successful motion, to have his body exhumed. They did toxicology tests on the body and you’ll never guess what they found.”
“What?”
“Antonio Vinelli was poisoned.”
My heart started to race. “Poisoned?”
“Yes. I’m working on a theory that Vinelli was nothing but a pawn in somebody’s sick game. Somebody who wanted to get rid of Stefano. I would imagine it was somebody from one of the rival families who poisoned that guy and then made sure that he started a fight with Stefano after he was poisoned. The person who poisoned Vinelli knew that Stefano would take the bait, and knew that Vinelli would die, which would leave Stefano guilty of murder. That’s just my theory, but Lucca, one thing is for sure. We have all the evidence we need to get Stefano’s murder charge completely set aside.”
My heart soared. “That’s fantastic news.”
“It’s just a matter of presenting the prosecutor with the new evidence and seeing if they’ll bite and agree to a vacation of the murder conviction. If they don’t, then I’ll have to ask for a new trial based on the new evidence, which will extend things quite a bit. Let’s just hope that the prosecutor will help me out on this one. I have a pretty good relationship with the prosecutor on this case, and she owes me a favor. It should be a slam-dunk if this thing goes to trial again, and the prosecutor isn’t going to want to mess with it. That’s my thinking, but I’ll call you later to let you know for sure.”
Lucca: Azzarra Crime Family Book Two Page 16