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Or maybe hacked with a single-edged knife, Canidy thought.

Jesus, they look like they couldn’t possibly be smart enough to read a newspaper.

And no way in hell could they share the same mother as Andrea.

Nola said something to them in Sicilian as he motioned to Canidy.

Great. They don’t speak English, either.

All Canidy could recognize from Nola’s rapid-fire introduction was “Antonio,” “Giacomo,” and what he thought was the word for “friend”—amico.

From under fat, heavy eyelids, the brother Budas’s deep-set eyes stared without emotion or recognition at Canidy.

Calm down, guys.

Your enthusiasm is over the top.

“Frank,” Canidy said evenly, “by any chance did you explain to Tweedle-Fucking-Dee and-Dum here what we’re trying to accomplish?”

Canidy heard Fuller chuckle behind him. He also noticed some response in the brothers’ expressions to that crack.

Well, maybe you bastards do understand English.

“Yes,” Nola said. “And they are willing to help. You must understand that they’re upset about what happened at the port.”

And they’re pissed at me?

I hope you didn’t tell them I blew up the boat, Frank.

Otherwise, ol’ Tubes is behind me with an itchy trigger finger on his .45 and about to yell, “Fins! Motherfucking fins!”

“Yeah, let’s talk about that,” Canidy said.

He looked at the brothers and added: “Who did that hanging?”

Nola began to translate. Canidy held up his hand for him to stop.

“Let them answer the damn question,” Canidy said.

The brothers remained silent. Then the one on the left spoke in Sicilian.

Nola translated: “Antonio says they understand some English but cannot speak it well.”

Bullshit, Canidy thought. But no need to call them on it right now.

“What about who strung up the fishermen?” he said.

“The SS,” Nola said. “I asked them that earlier, before you came. Sturmbannführer Müller’s men, on his orders. Müller himself was at the pier when they were”—he searched for the appropriate words—“put there.”

Nola looked at the Budas, then went on: ?

?Antonio said three SS officers from Messina arrived the next day. One was an obersturmbannführer . He stayed for only a few hours, had angry words with Müller, then left.”

Canidy nodded but was not sure what to make of that.

“Did you ask about the nerve gas, Frank?” Canidy went on, still looking at the brothers.

“Yes.”