Chapter 4: Discussions

I jumped as thunder shook the room. I sat up in bed and looked out the window to see dark clouds. I looked at my clock it read, 6:15 am. I rubbed my eyes and laid back in bed. 

The funeral wasn't for a few hours. I guess sleep wasn't going to be an option today. 

I moved the sheets and got out of bed and made my way to the kitchen. As I turned the corner I was met with the sight of my mother drinking some tea. From the smell I could tell it was Chamomile. I quietly walked past her and started to make myself a cup. 

"Irene," My mother says breaking the silence. 

I turned to look at her and saw she too was exhausted. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her back was slouched. My mother was a very proper woman. Seeing her like this made my heart ache. 

"We need to talk," She continued as I turned on the kettle and sat across from her. 

"Why are you up?" I ask dodging the subject, more curious about why my mother was up so early.

"I know what you're doing. You're avoiding my talks. As you must know I cannot sleep for more than a few hours. With you're father gone my dreams have been flooded with him. However, I wanted to ask how things are going. We both have been too caught up in the funeral and the police to have a proper talk since opening night." My mother says as the kettle whistles and I grab it off the stove and pour it into my mug. 

I sigh putting the tea bag in the hot water and joining my mother at the table.

"It's been going, I have a lead. But I will talk to them after Father's burial." I said keeping it short. I didn't want my interaction with the detective to worry my mother further. She is already dealing with the death of her husband, so she doesn't need to worry about her daughter getting on the police's bad side. 

"Good…good. Just…be careful, I already lost your father in this madness. I don't want to lose you too." She says putting her hand on mine. I locked eyes with my mother, her once bright brown eyes looked dull now. 

"I know you can find that bastard who killed him. When you find him, show him no mercy" My mother's eyes darkened. I nodded in agreement as she got up patting my shoulder before making her way back upstairs leaving me alone to my thoughts. 

'I need to know that lead.' I thought. My mind began to fall deeper into the pit as I thought of ways to avenge my father. 

My father and I were very close. As I was his first child and a spitting image of him too. His death was going to cause mayhem in this city, and I had no regrets about that. With that I knew what my next steps were going to be.

'I need to go talk to Red' I thought as I rushed up the stairs and quickly got dressed in a simple black dress with my dark red overcoat. I also packed a few items I would need for the funeral.

I needed to get to the theatre, it was only a block away and no one was out besides some drunks, and the occasional prostitute.

The dreary weather made everyone stay indoors. 

I went through the back entrance of the stage and bolted up the stairs to my new office. It had a good size desk, a small bookcase, and my personal phone in a nook in the wall. I dialed up Red's house. 

After a moment or two, she answered 

"Hello?" she asked, her voice was groggy. I knew I had woken her up. 

"Hey Red, it's Irene," I say as I hear her cough for a moment 

"Irene! What can I do for you?" Red says quickly trying to shake the sleepiness from her voice

"I need you, Carlos, and Alice to meet me at the Theatre ASAP." I tell her 

"Yes, Ma'am, We'll be there in 30 minutes," Red says as I hang up the line. 

I went downstairs to the small kitchen we had behind the concessions. I brewed a pot of coffee, I needed something stronger to wake me up. Plus this was quite early for all of us. 

I set the pot on a towel on my desk and patiently waited for their arrival. It was 7:15 am when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I had the door propped open and I saw the three appear at the top of the darkly lit steps. 

"Boss," Carlos greeted me, tipping his hat. They too were dressed for the Funeral. 

"Carlos, Red, Alice. I called you here to tell me about that lead. I can't wait, and can't sleep knowing that a killer is still out there. If that killer is in my theatre we need to sniff him out, and make sure they are gone for good," I explain

"Yes ma'am, Red knows it better than us. Carlos and I have other matters that can be discussed afterward" Alice says as she pours the three of them coffee.

Irene looked at Red as she grabbed her cup and settled in a chair by the window. 

"As you know on opening night your father was killed in the middle of the performance, but specifically during the police chasing scene." Red began as I nodded thinking back to that night. 

"Yes, I remember the gunshots correlated exactly to the ones on stage when I saw them." I say 

"Exactly, according to Carlos and Alice they told me about that. I found it odd and the day after I asked myself 2 questions. 1: How did the killer get in? And 2: How did they know when to shoot?" She states as I started to ponder the same thing

"So whoever killed my father had access to not only his office but to our rehearsals. It was opening night and only those in the theatre would know about that scene and its cues." I said. 

"Yes, so my other thought was besides the cast, and crew who do I remember being on guard with that night? The only person who was on guard on that side of the building was Joseph." Red told as I grumbled 

Joseph. That man had been quite the creep in this theatre for years. My father always reprimanded him, and I thought my father was too soft on the guy. 

Joseph was a bit of a hothead and a dunce. He used to do a lot of high-profile jobs until he started to hit on me. According to my uncle, he was quite cross with my father after getting demoted. This could be the rat that let the killer slip through the cracks. 

"After the burial, bring me Joseph and I'll inform my uncle. He will have better insights on him and it'll be good to have him try anything with him around." I say as they all agree. 

I looked at the time and saw we had half an hour till the Funeral.

"Ok, I think we have a good start on the lead, Alice we can discuss things later, this takes top priority," I say as she quietly nods. 

"Now if you'll excuse me I have to finish getting ready, I'll meet you at the funeral," I say, gathering my bag and heading downstairs to the dressing room. 

I sat in the large room lined with various vanities with each mirror being a different shape. I took a seat at mine. It was an oval mirror with lights surrounding it. I grabbed the hairpins out of the bag and pinned my hair half up leaving curls going down my shoulders. I grabbed the peacock feather and the black coat I was going to wear and pinned the feather on the lapel. It was customary for the next head of the family to wear the feather on the lapel to silently let any other gangs know who would be taking place as 'boss'.

I threw on the jacket and ran out the door. 

Carlos and Alice were outside waiting for me. 

"We thought you could use a ride, we know about your little run in with the detective," Carlos says as I was a little shocked to hear that 

I got in the car and we all headed to the cemetery. 

"How did you know that?" I questioned, Carols looked at me in the mirror

"I couldn't let my Boss walk home alone. Alice and I followed you. We know you can handle yourself but with the killer still out there we didn't want to chance it." He explained as I looked out the window. 

I felt an odd sense of relief in the matter. 

'I'm the boss now. I guess it makes sense why they would watch all my moves especially since my father was murdered' I thought as the iron gates of the cemetery came into place. 

Carlos got out of the car and opened the door for me. I stepped out and saw my family walking down the sidewalk a few feet away. 

I locked eyes with my mother and I nodded to her and joined her. As we walked up to the seats I saw a few notable heads of the few Mafias around us. They saw me and saw the peacock feather on my lapel took off their hats and bowed their heads. Some I could tell were a little blindsided that I was the one to take my father's place.

We all took our seats in front of the casket covered in calla lilies. The priest stepped forward and said a small prayer 

"Dear Lord, May you grant our Gianni Francis Pavone eternal rest. Eternal rest grant unto them O lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May he rest in peace, Amen" he says as a chorus of Amens soon follows. 

As my father's casket was lowered each member of the family tossed in a long-stemmed white carnation. Others followed suit as everyone began to depart. My brother and uncle stood next to me as we were the last ones to leave. 

"Red clued us in. We have Joseph heading to the docks as we speak." My uncle says as I nod 

"Good, let's go. I need to talk to that creepy bastard" I say walking away to the car with my uncle and Gian following close behind.