Disowning My Mafia Family After They Chose A Liar novel · Chapter 2 of 24

Chapter 2: A Cat in the Alley

Delfina blames her cat for the raid. Nerina picks the alibi apart in front of the family, and is ordered onto the next deal.

By one in the morning the compound was locked down.

Nobody was allowed to leave until the leak was found.

Dad had ordered a full sweep of every phone, every car and every guard.

I came down the hall in my socks and found the whole family outside his study.

Delfina stood barefoot by the door with her cat in her arms.

Her shoulders were shaking.

"Dad, it's my fault," she said. "I took King to the emergency vet tonight, and we drove past the warehouse."

She wiped her nose on the cat's fur.

"He meowed a few times. Maybe a patrol heard him."

My middle brother pulled her against his chest.

"How is that your fault?" he said. "You were saving your cat."

"She's been under stress for two days," my youngest brother said. "She has nightmares."

Mom handed Delfina a tissue.

"Stop crying, sweetheart," she said. "Nobody could have known the police were there."

I leaned on the doorframe.

"What kind of cat is King?" I asked.

Delfina sniffed. "A Ragdoll."

I took out my phone and searched it while they watched me.

"A Ragdoll meows at about forty or fifty decibels," I said. "Street noise is over sixty."

Nobody said anything.

"You want us to believe a few meows in an alley carried to an officer two streets away?"

I let that sit.

"Did the officer have enhanced hearing, or does your cat come with a speaker?"

My middle brother's jaw tightened.

Delfina buried her face in the fur.

I turned to Tullio, who stood at the end of the hall with his arms folded.

"You run family security," I said. "You told me every patrol route and noise complaint gets logged. Is that right?"

He looked at the floor.

"Nerina, this can wait."

"Wait for what? Dad just lost fifty million dollars."

I kept my voice level.

"We have a lead, and I see no reason not to follow it."

I looked at Delfina. "Which vet? The compound has an emergency clinic five minutes away. Why drive to Queens?"

She lifted her wet eyes.

"It was the twenty-four hour one," she said. "I don't remember the name."

"You don't remember it?"

"Nerina is right," Delfina whispered. "I'm sorry, everybody. I'll leave tonight."

Mom wrapped both arms around her.

"Don't you dare. You'll always be my precious daughter."

Then she looked at me over Delfina's head.

"Nerina, do you have to dig into everything? Your sister has a weak heart. She can't take this."

"No, Mom," I said. "I want to know where fifty million dollars went."

"Is fainting what you want?"

I stayed where I was.

"You all think I'm bullying her. I'm asking one question at a time, and six of you are ganging up on me."

Doubt crossed Mom's face for a moment, and then it was gone.

"Delfina is timid," she said. "It's normal for her to make a mistake. You've only been home a year."

"What part of it is normal?"

My voice was still level.

"She drives past the warehouse, her cat meows, the police arrive, and the family loses fifty million. Which part?"

The study door opened.

Dad stood in it with his sleeves rolled and his tie gone.

His eyes went from me to Delfina and back again.

"That's enough," he said. "I'll cover the whole loss myself."

He turned to me.

"Nerina, tomorrow you go with the others to the East River docks. It's a deal, and you'll be on it."

By our custom, every child of the family had to work one stage of a real operation.

Every time I had asked, they told me I didn't know the process well enough yet.

Delfina lifted her head and gave a small, soft laugh.

"You've been home so long, Nerina," she said. "I'm so glad you finally get a chance."

I looked at her.

"Why finally?"

Her smile stopped moving.

"I'm just happy for you."

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

Delfina would not meet my eyes.

Mom's voice cut in.

"Nerina, stop questioning her. It's your first operation with your brothers. Go and get ready."

I counted them off.

"Tullio, my two brothers, Delfina and me. All five of us are going?"

Tullio nodded. "All of us."

My youngest brother dropped onto the sofa.

"It's one deal," he said. "How many times do we have to say it?"

"Until I'm sure," I said. "I've waited a year for this, and I don't want to miss it."

Delfina's face went pale.

Mom took my hand in both of hers, and her hands were cold.

"I promise you, Nerina. All of you are going."

I watched my father over her shoulder.

He had already turned back into his study.

Tullio stood a moment longer in the hall, looking at Dad's closed door.

He opened his mouth, and shut it again.

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