When Gabe brought the second cup back, Chris was straightening the papers and putting them back inside the envelope. “It looks in order. I’ll take the papers to my lawyer. See how we move on from there.” Chris looked at Gabe. “Do you know where your mother is?”

“If I were to guess, I’d say somewhere in India judging from the owner of the car. Her letter also said that she was far away. I put a copy of the letter in the envelope.”

“I saw it. And yes, she is in India. Uttar Pradesh, to be specific.” Chris pulled out several photographs and spread them on the table.

Gabe sorted through the snapshots. “When did you find her?”

“Months ago.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“You knew she was alive. What difference would it have made?”

That was true. He stared at the photographs. “Man, she’s ready to pop.”

“She already has.” He took out a final picture. “Meet your new sister.”

The infant was round and chubby with a thatch of black hair. “Where’d you get this?”

“None of your business.”

Despite himself, Gabe smiled. Babies were cute. No jealousy because his mom was lost to him anyway. “Do you mind if I keep it?”

“Go ahead. To me, she’s just a little bastard. You’re not surprised by any of this. Did she send you another letter?”

“If she had, I would have called you.” He looked into his father’s flat blue eyes. “She only contacted me once. Since then I haven’t heard squat from her.” Gabe adjusted his glasses. “Decker figured that she was probably pregnant and that’s why she left so suddenly.”

“Did she tell him that when she met with him way back when?”

“No. He just figured it out later.”

“And you believe him?”

“Decker wasted a lot of time looking for Mom. He wouldn’t have done that if he had known that she had wanted to disappear.”

Donatti thought about that and decided it was the truth. “How’s Decker?”

“They’re nice people and nice to me. I’m okay if that’s what you’re asking.”

“So Decker figured it out.” Donatti drummed the table. “Your mom managed to hide your bastard origins from me, but she couldn’t pretend with an Indian baby.”

Gabe didn’t take the bait. “Does Mom know that you know about her?”

“Not yet.”

“So what are you going to do?”

Donatti shrugged. “Gabriel, I’ve thought about everything from doing nothing to killing the bitch.”

“And?”

“In the end, I don’t fucking care anymore.” Donatti took out a pack of cigarettes and lit a smoke. “That isn’t true. I do care. But I don’t care enough to ruin my life even though I could get away with it. I’d like to kill her, but I don’t want her dead.”