The Last Don - Mario Puzo [35]
But for the first time in his long service to the Family, Pippi De Lena had to stand trial in a court of law. And the usual legal strategy was that his wife and children must attend the trial. The jurors must know that on their decision rested the happiness of this innocent family. Twelve men and women tried and true had to harden their hearts. “Reasonable doubt” was a godsend to a juror wrung by pity.
During the trial, the police officers testified they had not seen Pippi with the gun or kicking it. Three of the eyewitnesses could not identify the defendant, the other two were so adamant in their identification of Pippi that they alienated jury and judge. The Clericuzio soldier who owned the restaurant testified that he had followed Danny Fuberta out of the restaurant because the man had not paid his check, that he had witnessed the shooting, and that the shooter definitely was not Pippi De Lena, the defendant.
Pippi had worn gloves at the time of the shooting, which was why there were no prints on the gun. Medical evidence was given for the defense that Pippi De Lena suffered from intermittent skin rashes, mysterious and incurable, and that the wearing of gloves had been recommended.
As maximum insurance a juror had been bribed. After all, Pippi was a high executive in the Family. But this final precaution had not been needed. Pippi was acquitted and deemed forever innocent in the eyes of the law.
But not by his wife, Nalene De Lena. Six months after the trial, Nalene told Pippi they must divorce.
There is a cost for those who live on a high level of tension. Physical parts of the body wear down. Excessive eating and drinking tax the liver and heart. Sleep is criminally evasive, the mind does not respond to beauty and will not invest in trust. Pippi and Nalene both suffered from this. She could not bear him in her bed, and he could not enjoy a partner who did not share his enjoyment. She could not hide the horror of knowing he was a murderer. He felt an enormous amount of relief that he did not any longer have to hide his true self from her.
“OK, we’ll divorce,” Pippi said to Nalene. “But I’m not losing my kids.”
“I know who you are now,” Nalene said. “I won’t see you again and I will not have my children living with you.”
This surprised Pippi. Nalene had never been forceful or outspoken. And it surprised him that she dared to speak to him, Pippi De Lena, in such a fashion. But women were always reckless. He then considered his own position. He was not equipped to bring up children. Cross was eleven and Claudia was ten, and he recognized the fact that, despite his closeness with Cross, both children loved their mother more than they did him.
He wanted to be fair to his wife. After all, he had received from her what he wanted, a family, children, a bedrock to his life, which every man needed. Who knew what he would have become if it had not been for her?
“Let’s reason this out,” he said. “Let’s split without any bad feelings.” He turned on the charm. “What the hell, we’ve had a good twelve years. We’ve had some happy times. And we have two wonderful kids, thanks to you.” He paused, surprised again by her stern face. “Come on Nalene, I’ve been a good father, my kids like me. And I’ll help you in whatever you want to do. Naturally you can keep the house here in Vegas. And I can get you one of the shops in the Xanadu. Dresses, jewelry, antiques. You’ll earn your two hundred grand a year. And we can sort of share the kids.”
Nalene said, “I hate Las Vegas. I always did. I have my teaching degree and a job in Sacramento. I’ve already enrolled the children in school up there.”