“Yes.” Machiavelli kept a completely straight face. “I had nothing to do with John’s murder.”
“Did Stretch? Did you send Stretch to kill John?”
“No,” Machiavelli answered, again flatly.
“Do you swear to me, Nicky? On my eyes?”
“Yes.”
“Because if you’re lying to me, you’ll burn in hell. I will too. That’s a mortal sin.”
“Ma, I would never murder anybody.”
“Stretch would.”
“Maybe, but I didn’t ask him to murder anybody. I didn’t ask him to murder John.” Machiavelli shot Mary a look. “Isthatwhat this is about? You came here asking my mother this question? Making these accusations? It’sabsurd.”
“Is it?” Mary shot back. “You sent Stretch to Conchetta’s because she wouldn’t sell her house to you.”
Flavia’s hooded eyes stayed glued to her son. “Is that right, Nicky?”
Machiavelli frowned. “Okay,thatI did, but I offered her a million bucks first. Why didn’t they take it? It’s not worth a tenth of that.”
Flavia gasped. “Nicky, that’s terrible! That’s a terrible thing to do! I’m so ashamed of you. Joey is in the Army. He’s serving our country.”
“I wanted the house.”
“ButIdidn’t want the house.” Flavia gestured at the big vast, cavernous room, as she had before. “I don’t want any of this. I don’t want you tobeat upanybody for it. A man in uniform!”
“I wanted it for you.”
“I told you, I don’t want any of this, I don’t need any of this.”
“I let it go, Ma. They live there, don’t they? It’s all good.” Machiavelli turned to Mary. “What’s one have to do with the other, anyway? I had nothing to do with John’s murder. You can’t think I did.”
“I sure can,” Mary shot back, angering. “You might be able to convince your mother, but you can’t convince me.”
Machiavelli looked at her like she was crazy. “Why would I kill John?”
“You sent Stretch to do it.”
“Why would I dothat? It’s still murder if I solicited it, and I never would. Murder?” Machiavelli’s brown eyes flared. “Mary, I draw the line. I’ve done a lot of things, but murder, no. Never.”
“Oh really?” Mary couldn’t believe his nerve. It was time to bust him. “Let’s go back a few days. You manufactured that reverse-discrimination lawsuit against us. Those three plaintiffs have worked for your businesses. You paid their college tuition and put them up to the Complaint against us.”
Machiavelli’s eyelids fluttered. “That’s not true.”
Flavia shook her head. “Nicky, you’re lying. I can tell. You just lied to her. Did you do what she said or not?”
“Yes, he did,” Mary interjected.
Flavia held up a hand to Mary. “I’m talking to myson.” She returned to Nicky, flushing behind her papery skin. “You said you would tell me the truth and you just lied. I can tell when you’re lying and when you tell the truth. If you lie, Nicky, I swear, you will pay for the rest of your life—”
“Ma, don’t get upset, your blood pressure.” Machiavelli put his hand on hers, frowning with genuine concern.
“You want to give me a heart attack? Then keep lying. It’ll be on you.” Flavia went red in the face, the veins in her stringy neck bulging. She turned to Mary. “Ask him the question again.”
Mary faced Machiavelli. “You manufactured the reverse-discrimination case against us, didn’t you?”
