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Authors: James Patterson, Andrew Gross
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guilty to murder in the second degree.”
“Why, Mr. Denunziatta? Can you describe your actual involvement in Mr. Greenblatt’s death?”
He cleared his throat. “Thomas Mussina came to me. He was a captain then. He reported directly to Dominic Cavello. He knew some people who worked for me owed the family a favor. Jimmy Cabrule—he had gambling debts. Also Louis Machia—he was looking to be made. He figured this was an opportunity.”
“By ‘opportunity,’” the prosecutor stated, “you mean that if Mr. Machia participated in killing Mr. Greenblatt, he would be rewarded with being formally inducted into the family? Is that correct?”
“That’s correct, Mr. Goldenberger.”
“So, go on, Mr. Denunziatta. Did Mr. Cabrule and Louis Machia carry out this hit?”
“Yes, they did. In front of Greenblatt’s home in Jersey. On the sixth of August, 1993.”
“You seem to know the date well, Mr. Denunziatta. Were you there?”
“I was in the area,” Denunziatta replied.
“ In the area . . . ? ” Goldenberger cocked his head.
“I was in a car driving around the neighborhood, maybe two blocks away. I heard the shots. I saw Louis and Jimmy C. speed by. Louie’s friend Stevie Mannarino was driving the vehicle.”
“Was anyone else driving around the neighborhood, Mr. Denunziatta? At the time Mr. Greenblatt was murdered?”
“Yes, sir.” The gangster nodded. “Tommy Moose was driving around. In a gray Lincoln.”
“Okay, Thomas Mussina was there. In a Lincoln. Was there anyone else in this car with Mr. Mussina?” the prosecutor asked.
“Yes, there was.” Ralphie sucked in a breath. “Dominic Cavello was in the car.”
“How could you be so sure, Mr. Denunziatta, that it was Mr. Cavello in the car with Thomas Mussina?”
“Because they stopped and waved to me. A few blocks from the hit.”
“But it didn’t surprise you, did it, Mr. Denunziatta? To see him, the Electrician, there?”
“No, sir,” the witness said.
“And can you tell the jury why?”
“Because Tommy told me they were going to be there the night before. He and Mr. Cavello. He said Mr. Cavello wanted to make sure everything was done just right.”
Denunziatta looked up, as if drawn almost magnetically toward the defendant.
Cavello met his gaze with the most chilling, mirthless smile. It had finality to it. Everybody saw it. It was as if the temperature in the courtroom had dropped twenty degrees in a few seconds.
Go ahead, Ralphie, Cavello’s smile seemed to say. Do what you have to do. When this has all played out, I’ll find you.
Dead man walking, Ralphie.
The prosecutor brought the witness back. “So to the best of your knowledge, Mr. Denunziatta, Mr. Cavello knew about Mr. Greenblatt’s murder before it took place?”
“’Course he knew about the murder, Mr. Goldenberger. Jimmy wouldn’t tie his shoelaces without the Boss’s say-so. Everybody knew that. Cavello ordered the hit.”
Chapter 22
MIRIAM SEIDERMAN HAD SEEN the monstrous look, too. It almost brought the proceedings to a halt, as all eyes went to Cavello.
Up to now the mob boss had been on his best behavior, but she knew he was tethered by a slender thread. The first two witnesses had been damaging. She could read the jury on that. Only a complete fool would think Cavello had nothing to do with Greenblatt’s murder.
Yet he just sat there, like he had it all planned out. His life was going down the tubes, and he was above it all: You can’t hold me here. I’m stronger than you. I’m stronger than the whole system. You can’t judge me. It made her shiver.
After trial that day, she met her husband for dinner with a client. Ben was a partner at Rifkin, Sayles, one of the biggest law firms in the city. She listened, tried to laugh. The client, Howard Goldblum, was one of the most successful real estate developers in the city.
But inside, she was scared. She kept reliving the trial. It kept reverberating through her. Something about that
“Why, Mr. Denunziatta? Can you describe your actual involvement in Mr. Greenblatt’s death?”
He cleared his throat. “Thomas Mussina came to me. He was a captain then. He reported directly to Dominic Cavello. He knew some people who worked for me owed the family a favor. Jimmy Cabrule—he had gambling debts. Also Louis Machia—he was looking to be made. He figured this was an opportunity.”
“By ‘opportunity,’” the prosecutor stated, “you mean that if Mr. Machia participated in killing Mr. Greenblatt, he would be rewarded with being formally inducted into the family? Is that correct?”
“That’s correct, Mr. Goldenberger.”
“So, go on, Mr. Denunziatta. Did Mr. Cabrule and Louis Machia carry out this hit?”
“Yes, they did. In front of Greenblatt’s home in Jersey. On the sixth of August, 1993.”
“You seem to know the date well, Mr. Denunziatta. Were you there?”
“I was in the area,” Denunziatta replied.
“ In the area . . . ? ” Goldenberger cocked his head.
“I was in a car driving around the neighborhood, maybe two blocks away. I heard the shots. I saw Louis and Jimmy C. speed by. Louie’s friend Stevie Mannarino was driving the vehicle.”
“Was anyone else driving around the neighborhood, Mr. Denunziatta? At the time Mr. Greenblatt was murdered?”
“Yes, sir.” The gangster nodded. “Tommy Moose was driving around. In a gray Lincoln.”
“Okay, Thomas Mussina was there. In a Lincoln. Was there anyone else in this car with Mr. Mussina?” the prosecutor asked.
“Yes, there was.” Ralphie sucked in a breath. “Dominic Cavello was in the car.”
“How could you be so sure, Mr. Denunziatta, that it was Mr. Cavello in the car with Thomas Mussina?”
“Because they stopped and waved to me. A few blocks from the hit.”
“But it didn’t surprise you, did it, Mr. Denunziatta? To see him, the Electrician, there?”
“No, sir,” the witness said.
“And can you tell the jury why?”
“Because Tommy told me they were going to be there the night before. He and Mr. Cavello. He said Mr. Cavello wanted to make sure everything was done just right.”
Denunziatta looked up, as if drawn almost magnetically toward the defendant.
Cavello met his gaze with the most chilling, mirthless smile. It had finality to it. Everybody saw it. It was as if the temperature in the courtroom had dropped twenty degrees in a few seconds.
Go ahead, Ralphie, Cavello’s smile seemed to say. Do what you have to do. When this has all played out, I’ll find you.
Dead man walking, Ralphie.
The prosecutor brought the witness back. “So to the best of your knowledge, Mr. Denunziatta, Mr. Cavello knew about Mr. Greenblatt’s murder before it took place?”
“’Course he knew about the murder, Mr. Goldenberger. Jimmy wouldn’t tie his shoelaces without the Boss’s say-so. Everybody knew that. Cavello ordered the hit.”
Chapter 22
MIRIAM SEIDERMAN HAD SEEN the monstrous look, too. It almost brought the proceedings to a halt, as all eyes went to Cavello.
Up to now the mob boss had been on his best behavior, but she knew he was tethered by a slender thread. The first two witnesses had been damaging. She could read the jury on that. Only a complete fool would think Cavello had nothing to do with Greenblatt’s murder.
Yet he just sat there, like he had it all planned out. His life was going down the tubes, and he was above it all: You can’t hold me here. I’m stronger than you. I’m stronger than the whole system. You can’t judge me. It made her shiver.
After trial that day, she met her husband for dinner with a client. Ben was a partner at Rifkin, Sayles, one of the biggest law firms in the city. She listened, tried to laugh. The client, Howard Goldblum, was one of the most successful real estate developers in the city.
But inside, she was scared. She kept reliving the trial. It kept reverberating through her. Something about that
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