Fifteen
A sea of black suits spilled through the chapel doors. Only after Jason Morgan gave the signal was his employer Michael Corinthos allowed to exit as well.
The stone-faced mob boss looked neither left nor right. His gaze fixed ahead, Sonny escorted his curious wife to the car. He regulated the pace of her progress by the firm hand he maintained against her back.
Carly turned and handed her husband the urn she carried. Awkwardly Sonny held the burnished gold container while his wife slid quickly into the back seat of the armor-plated limo. With relief Sonny reached down, handed the urn back to Carly and slid in beside her.
"I will meet you at the penthouse later," Jason leaned into the car's cool interior.
Sonny frowned. "Is something going on?"
Jason shook his head reassuringly. "Everything is like it's supposed to be."
His calm demeanor put the couple's misgivings to rest. Sonny nodded and instructed the driver to take them back to the penthouse.
Sonny's second in command monitored the big limousine's progress until he could not see it anymore. Satisfied that Sonny and Carly were safely on their way home, he strode around to the back of the little chapel where Mike had just been memorialized.
Jason frowned at the floral arrangement that lay propped against the brick wall. It was about six feet tall and composed of gaudy, blood red flowers. The sash across the front boldly read, 'Rest in Pieces' .
The arrangement had arrived only moments after Sonny and Carly had entered the small chapel. Jason, who had been supervising the comings and goings of all present, was the first to spot the insolent message. Without drawing attention, Sonny's silent shadow moved the wreath to the back of the chapel to be dealt with at a later time.
Shaking his head, Jason carefully cut away the sash and folded it neatly before sliding it in breast pocket of his suit coat. He would show the offending item to Sonny later on that evening. Their enemy's disrespect on Sonny's day of mourning would only add fuel to the inferno that raged within the grieving man.
Methodically Jason began to disassemble the wreath flower by flower until there was nothing left.
