chapter 2

Less than half an hour after the banquet ended, trouble hit the Family.

Police raided an important Family outpost in the north district and a shipment was lost.

My father was furious and ordered an internal investigation.

Everyone was confined to the estate until the rat was found.

At one in the morning, Letitia stood barefoot outside my father's study, cradling her cat and sobbing so hard her shoulders shook.

"Father, it's all my fault... I took my cat to the emergency vet that night. We passed the outpost, and the cat meowed a few times. Maybe a patrol officer heard it..."

Lorenzo pulled her close at once. "How could this be your fault? You were trying to save your cat! Father, Letitia is timid. She didn't mean it!"

Rocco looked worried. "I took her to the hospital. She's been under tremendous stress for the past two days and keeps having nightmares."

My mother pulled a tissue from the box and handed it to her. "It's all right. Stop crying. Who could have expected a coincidence like that? The police weren't waiting there just for you to walk past."

I leaned against the door and listened to all of it, then asked, "What is your cat called?"

Letitia sniffled. "P-Prince."

I continued, "Is Prince a purebred Maine Coon or a Ragdoll?"

Letitia said, "A... Ragdoll."

I pulled out my phone and ran a quick search.

"Ragdolls meow at about forty to fifty decibels, and not continuously. Normal street noise is above sixty.

"You expect me to believe a few meows in an alley caught the attention of an officer two streets away? Were his ears surgically enhanced, or does your cat come with an amplifier?"

The room went silent.

Before they could answer, I turned to Vito. "You handle Family security. You told me last time that every police patrol route and noise complaint is logged. Right?"

Vito looked away. "Fiore, this... can wait."

I shot back, "Wait? Father just lost a fifty-million-dollar shipment. We have evidence in front of us. I have no reason not to pursue it."

Letitia buried her face in the cat's fur and cried harder. "It's all my fault. Fiore is right. I'll leave right now..."

My mother wrapped her arms around Letitia. "Sweetheart, don't do anything rash. You'll always be my precious daughter."

Then she turned to me. "Fiore, do you have to get to the bottom of everything? Your sister has a weak heart. She can't take this kind of pressure!

"You keep pushing and pushing. Will nothing satisfy you but her fainting?"

I answered calmly. "Mother, I'm investigating a missing shipment. You all think I'm bullying her, but I'm not.

"Instead, it looks like the six of you are ganging up on me."

A flicker of unease crossed my mother's eyes. "Letitia is timid. It's normal for her to make a mistake. You only just came back, and some things..."

"What is normal about it?" I asked. "She passed the outpost, her cat meowed a few times, the police showed up, and the Family lost fifty million. You call that normal?"

My father's eyes sharpened. "Enough! This matter ends here. I'll cover the entire loss."

He paused a few seconds and went on. "Fiore, you will go with them to tomorrow's deal."

By custom, every child in the Family had to participate in at least one stage of an operation.

Every time I had asked to take part, they told me I was not familiar enough with the process.

Letitia gave a soft laugh. "You've been back so long, Fiore. I'm glad you're finally getting a chance."

I asked her, "Why finally?"

Her smile froze. "I'm happy for you."

"But you said finally. That means you know why they kept me out. Can you tell me why?"

Letitia wouldn't meet my eyes.

My mother cut in at once. "Fiore, stop interrogating her. This is your first operation together. Go prepare."

I made sure I had it right. "Vito, Lorenzo, Rocco, Letitia, and I are all going?"

Vito nodded. "All of us."

Rocco leaned back on the sofa, impatient. "It's just a single deal. How many times do we have to say it?"

"Until it's clear," I said. "I don't want to miss the chance I've waited so long for."

Letitia's face went pale for a moment.

My mother took my hand. "I promise you. All of you are going."