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So many people had been lost in the chaos of the ’70s, a lot of bodies never recovered It started with onea spectacle of the lifestyle and escalated to a clash that spread throughout the country It beca the organizations stood for in the naeance The same families that had sworn to protect women and children were so blinded by hatred they took it out on the innocent

Joseph Russo had been discovered buried in a cornfield years later Antonio sent one undercover with their baby But a bundle had been dropped off on his doorstep one night, human bones wrapped in a pink baby blanket There were no DNA tests in those days, but everyone believed it then--Federica and the baby were dead

But they’d been wrong The baby had survived, going by the naht under their noses their entire tiined it would be this," Corrado said "The odds of that wo out to be Sal’s dead niece are about as likely as Ji up tomorrow on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Orchard Street"

"I’’s possible now"

"True," Corrado said "They disappeared around the same tihborhood"

His tone was so serious Vincent couldn’t be sure if he was joking or not He usually couldn’t with Corrado and didn’t dare laugh either way

"So whoever killed theave the baby to the Antonellis, and Frankie took the child knoho she was He ordered the wife of a fellow Mafioso murdered to retain his secret, because he knehat he’d done would be an auto up in a few seconds what had taken Vincent an hour to stuh

"As it would be for me"

"Yes"

"You understand why I’ve done what I’ve done, right?" Vincent asked "You understand why I couldn’t turn the girl over to hi here if some part of me didn’t," Corrado said "The fallout would be disastrous Not only would you be killed on principle, but her life would also be in danger Squint’s set upon inheriting the dynasty, banking on the fact that he’s the closest thing the Don has left to a relative Carer because of Sal’s interest in hiirl to the equation would jeopardize theanization," Vincent said "They never determined who killed Joseph and Federica, or what they did with her body Sal would go on a raht now"

"He’d start another war," Corrado said "We’d all be in danger"

"I know And I’m not worried about myself I just don’t want the kids to be taken down by this"

"So you want the Principe and the Principessa to ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after? That’s not asking for too"I hate to break it to you, but this is the real world, Vincent I have a greater chance of getting you out of this than I do of keeping them unscathed I honestly don’t knohat you expect ofI just--"

Corrado cut hi soft I don’t knohat happened to you, but I don’t like it You clai to involvemy wife"

"I didn’t intend--"

"No, I’ht you, of all people, would understand You lost your wife to this, and now you’re putting rieved so wholly, you surely didn’t hesitate to setht now, but I can’t I have to help you, even though it goes against everything I’ve sworn myself to, because it’s the only way to protect Celia" He stared at hiirl better be worth it"

"She was to Maura"

Corrado rubbed his face with frustration "The things we do for women What possessed you to run her DNA in the first place? You knoho her parents are"

Vincent sighed "I wanted to get her a green card"

"A green card?" he asked incredulously

"I kneas too risky to try to get her a birth certificate, so I thought I could get a green card to legally establish her here With her father being a citizen, she’d be approved as long as the relationship could be established I knew Michael wouldn’t agree willingly, so I thought a DNA test could strong-arm him"

"And you couldn’t just ask me?"

"I told you--I didn’t want to involve you"

Corrado shook his head "Do you think Antonelli knows?"

"I doubt it He wouldn’t have given up the girl so easily if he knew He would’ve bartered forwhenit happened"

Corrado watched him intently "It’s been five years now, huh?"