Chapter 17

Antonio's POV

"WELL NOW YOU'RE SORRY CAUSE SHE IS THE NIECE OF THE PADILLA TEA CEO. GUESS WHAT DEPUTY CHIEF HAN?! YOU'RE STILL UNDER MANDATORY PAID LEAVE TILL THE END OF NEXT WEEK!"

Papa continued before chasing Rodrigo out of his office and his sight angrily. "She's the niece of the Padilla Tea CEO...Impressive!" Matteo my brother comment amazed upon learning Laura's identity.

"Knew her surname rings a bell...I will also fly in next week to give the CEO an apology for what happened."

My father said to us both. I don't know what got into that kid's head to throw me this question that took me surprise:

"You sure won't be wanting us on the marriage market that soon right Papa?"I looked at him amazed. "Grow up. You're 25 and Matt you're 27 next month. High time you two get a wife or I'll get you one myself." He tells Matteo and I with eyes wide open in shock by my comment.

"Wives are hard to find, Papa..."

Matteo timidly commented. "Nonsense, when I was your age, I've already marry your Mama." Papa looked at him with that disgusted look saying. "Merry less and don't get me a Wallis Simpson." He continued, pointing out Matteo's playboy ways on the table. "Yes Papa..." Matteo sighed before excusing himself to continue his work.

"Calm down Papa"I went to calm my father down. "Tell that brother of yours to bring that attitude to his mother and taste the consequences himself!" He starts ranting to me about my dear brother's playboy ways.

Not another 3 hours of that...

Keona's POV

"Marie and Victoria! Stop right there!"

Gloria my daughter tells her two naughty twin sisters to stop while they are giving her the chase at the garden as I'm enjoying my afternoon tea.

"Marie De Hunt! Victoria De Hunt!"

She stopped and folded her arms sternly that got the girls stopping. "You two naughty girls had been playing with paint all day. Now go do your chores." Gloria pick them two up by their waists in each arms and took them with her. The whole thing is that funny that I can't giggling a little along with my husband.

"The two little ones are cheeky and playful. Gloria be getting bonus for handling them well."

Henri softly says to me. "They are cheeky for girls turning 4 soon." I agree nodding my head.

"If we enroll them like this by the time elementary comes into the corner, we be in a world of pain."

I soon continue. "The amount of teacher's calls we be getting and we all need to study and work." Henri says.

"Exactly!"

I agreed with him until I heard a loud thud and windy sound. I immediately ran to Gloria's room where the sound came from since her room is nearest to the garden.

I stopped when I saw her right at the door of her room, covered full of wheat flour. I then looked at the trap above my oldest daughter and then at my silly young twins.

What is going on….? I didn't know 4 years old children are capable of…THAT…?

-Later That Night-

"I'm only a FBI Deputy Chief and Adrian is Vice Head of the DA's Office. My father is an insurance executive while my mother and sister are just being contended housewives."

I said to Henri when he asked me how our Marie and Victoria were that smart to built such a trap for Gloria to walk into.

"Who sees zero reason to upgrade themselves and interact with today's revolving world."

I added on folding my arms. "At least you didn't turn out like them both." He reminds me, using his big hand to unfold my arms.

"But Glen turn out to be a Science prodigy and his father was deputy Chief of the Illinois police department."

He then brings up my son Glen from my first tragic marriage. "Luke's parents are deaf. He supported himself working multiple jobs." I explain about my late ex-husband's background briefly to Henri.

"Then it looks like the intelligence of your family is really there."

He looks at me nodding his head impressed. "You really think so?" I asked and he nods his head again.

"You know of my background, my Mère (mother) is illiterate and my Père (father) is a bus driver."

He soon reminds me. "How I become an aristocrat chauffeur is hard work putting myself through school as well." He then continues.

"I guess the Shyden gene is there." I giggled softly. "Anyways how's your new police boy?" He asked me about the recruit under me.

"John McForbes?"

I asked back and he nods his head. "Well…he's not very terrible…clean background…good child…" I scratched my head trying to describe John.

"Not a very sociable boy and shockingly intelligent."

I continue describing John to Henri. "Nepotism baby?" Henri soon ask me this question out of the blue.

I was ready to throw the pillow when I heard footsteps. I looked at the door and it was our son Pierre who's hugging his bolster with one hand and rubbing his eye with another.

"Whats wrong young man? Can't sleep?"

I asked my son gently, putting down my pillow. "Can't…sleep…" He says walking over to me.

"Nightmares?"

Henri ruffles his hair after I picked him up and put him in between us both. Pierre cutely nods his head with a pout.

"It's okay. We are here."

I reassured him, patting him on his head. "Let's get some sleep even though it's weekends." Henri then says as we all went to get some sleep.

-In The Meanwhile-

John's POV

I arrived at Knoxville, Tennessee after a 5 hour flight. I eaten so much food in the plane to kill the time, that nothing excites me or my appetite.

Cause Mama's cooking is still the best…nothing beats her cooking…

'So where should I start looking?'

I grab a map of Tennessee that I had from high school and looked at it, thinking to myself.

I am clueless and helpless, I have never been to Tennessee physically so I can't really feel any sense of proper direction.

I got out of the airport and grab a taxi to my accommodation. The driver was a very friendly man to say the least, as nice as the bartender friend Robert had.

"Hello how's your day?"

I smiled and greeted the driver when I get into the taxi. "I'm finer than frog hair split four ways" He smiles answering me.

"That means?"

I looked at him a little stunned by his answer. "It means I'm all good. We do speak differently here." He soon explains to me.

"A different English?"

I asked him, curious by his answer. "Ya bet" He giggles. "Ya know, ya definitely don't come from here. Were ya from boy?" He soon asks me.

"California."

I timidly answered him. "Goodness gracious, ya need to toughen up real hard in this place." He then tells me.

"W-What? Did something happen?" I asked him a little surprised by what he told me.

"Ya pretty as a peach. Hold your horses in a place like this."

He soon explains. "What does being pretty and toughen up had to do with each other?" I asked him again even more confused.

"Cause the big bad blokes here love to eat up pretty ones like ya, if ya don't toughen up, that Emory Place lassie Nat Hayden years ago will be one example."

He continues explaining. "Emory Place?" I looked at him. "Yeah! Emory Place had a murder that occurred 10 years ago. My boy Sydney James lived there with his wife and kids." He nods his head telling me.

"That description the homie living next to him, gave the police! Pft! Might as well not give it at all."

He soon scoffs. "How so?" I was quick to ask after he scoffed.

"It was a red hair or some strawberry according to him but the information doesn't amount to a hill of beans."

The driver soon continues. "Till the cows come home, this case is going to be a cold shivering case." He adds on telling me.

"Can I speak to your son then Mr James?" I asked him wondering. "Of course" He says before passing me a name card from his pocket.

Sydney James Jr.

Senior Officer

Emory Place Corrections Office

"New promoted ya lad?"

I picked up a bit and asked Mr James. "Yep! I don't know when the sun comes down from the west for him to promote at such a shady place." He says to me yawning a little.

After a while, we're at my accommodation. "Nice talking to you." I said to Mr James before tipping a $50 to him.

"Thanks! Enjoy the rest of the day!" He smiles telling me before getting into his car and continue driving.

I checked in and went to my room. I'm planning my itinerary when my mother called.

"I'm for sorry not telling you earlier that I have reached Knoxville."

I apologized when she called. "It's alright. I can understand how busy you are." She reassures me.

"How's the flight?"

She asks. "Boring. Eat and read to occupy myself." I answered yawning a little.

"Eat and read. Very very you John."

She chuckles before we both agreed it's best we end the call so I can get some sleep for the night.