Alessandro sank down into an armchair. The color seemed to have drained from his face. He’d told me once that he was confident that he knew what family was responsible for his father's death, but that they were puzzling out the last few details.

He’d been so calculated, so careful in his movements. It seemed like the last two years were leading up to this, and I could understand why. My own father had disappeared on me. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a ...