Chapter 12
"In addition," Dante continued, his voice steady, even, and unyielding, "you will find an unrestricted grant of fifteen million dollars allocated directly to your department’s regional child nutrition initiative. It will fund forty-eight food pantries across the South and West sides, ensuring that no child in this city ever has to walk four miles through the rain to ask for a bottle of milk again."
Reynolds looked from the paper to Judge Thorne.
Thorne took off his reading glasses, polished them with a silk handkerchief, and looked at the woman with a tired, knowing smile.
"Victoria," Thorne said gently. "I have known Mr. Moretti for twenty-five years. I have seen him operate in this city. He is many things. But he is a man of his word. In my thirty years on the bench, I have never seen a petition for legal guardianship backed by this level of material security, nor have I seen a child who has been so thoroughly cared for in the wake of tragedy."
Thorne looked over at the sofa.
"Mia," the judge called out softly.
Mia set her picture book down, stood up, smoothed her pleated skirt with two hands, and walked to the front of the desk. She stood beside Dante, her small shoulder brushing against his trouser leg.
"Do you know who this man is, Mia?" Judge Thorne asked.
Mia looked up at Dante. She reached out, her small fingers finding Dante’s hand. Dante’s large, calloused fingers closed around hers with an instinctive, protective warmth.
"He's Dante," she said clearly.
"Do you want to live with him? Do you want him to be your guardian?"
Mia looked back at the judge. Her gray-green eyes were steady, but the haunted, hunted look that had shadowed her in the rain was entirely gone.
"He doesn't let Lily cry," Mia said simply. "And he promised me we’d never have to look for food again."
Judge Thorne swallowed hard. He looked down at the petition, picked up his fountain pen, and signed his name across the final decree with three bold, decisive strokes.
He pressed the gold seal into the wax, closed the folder, and handed it to Dante.
"The petition is granted," Judge Thorne said. "Guardianship is permanent and unconditional. Congratulations, Mr. Moretti."
Reynolds opened her mouth as if to offer one final bureaucratic objection, but looking at the child holding the underworld boss’s hand, she realized the battle had been lost before she had even walked into the room. She gathered her red binder, offered a polite, defeated nod, and slipped quietly out of the chambers.