Chapter 18

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.

-The Next Day-

"You're very prim and proper Mr McForbes."

Mr James said to me when somehow I got him as my driver again. "And maybe punctual." I jokingly respond.

"Don't mind as well of course if you can take me to Emory Place Corrections Office of course."

I then continue asking him. "Not a problem. Sit on tight boy." He says before I get into his car, passing him 10 dollars including a $5 tip for him to drive me to see his son.

"How's your first day so far?"

Mr. James then asked me. "Not much but its important to get a good rest after such a long trip to here." I said stretching my arms.

"Indeed" He nods his head agreeing with me before the ride continues and he throws me more random questions which I try to answer as discreetly as I can possibly answer.

Vincent's POV

"I have found out for you Sir. The CEO of the company is Carlos Padilla Sr."

My secretary Donovan tells me when I decided to call in sick because of this flu I have gotten.

"I hate it that I got this flu a week before we had to leave for Puerto Rico-ACHOO!" I grunted to Donovan before being cut off by the need to sneeze. "Bless you Sir." He covers his mouth telling me.

"Appreciated." I replied, taking a tissue to sneeze before throwing it away. "But we really had to see Mr Padilla." I insisted to Donovan.

"His niece has suffered so much ever since she joined the FBI." I then explained to him. "It's proper I had to give him a proper apology as Rodrigo's superior." I soon continue

"And I want you to help me check something when I'm not around though." I said to Donovan and it got him looking at me confused.

"Why? Want to come with me to Puerto Rico again even though you have just have returned from there?"

I soon asked him. "I'm wondering haven't you already punished Deputy Chief Han? Why we have to go to Puerto Rico apologizing to him Sir?" He soon asks me back.

"Punished Deputy Chief Han I had already."

I nodded my head saying to him. "But it seems to me there be a new unfortunate lady coming into his life." I continued, not wanting to give this intelligent brat an easy hit-on-the-nail guessing.

"He seem to have engaged very indecent acts in the office with her and my son has catch them red-handed."

I added on. Donovan cringed the moment I have finished telling him this brief story. "Very indecent oops" He commented cringing.

"I know" I sighed. "But be mindful he had a very hot temper unfortunately though Sir." Donovan soon informs me. "Hot-tempered or not, surely a businessman will never say no to any possible negotiation beneficial." I said to him.

"Unless he of course wishes for an early retirement"

Antonio's POV

It was my day off and I'm deciding to spend some time with my mother whose also having a day off since my brothers are usually busy with their stuff which they definitely won't come clean about to my parents altogether.

"Tuo Papa sta giocando un gioco molto pericoloso. (Your father is playing a very dangerous game.)"

Mama tells me when we are making the fresh pasta dough for the whole house that will last us for the whole of next week.

"Ha bisogno di persone moralmente giuste come Keona e non di persone moralmente ridicole come Rodrigo. (He needs morally righteous people like Keona and not morally ridiculous people like Rodrigo.)"

She continues as I help her crack the eggs while she gets the semolina flour from the cupboard.

"Sfortunatamente, li sprecherà entrambi. Segna le mie parole figlio mio. (Unfortunately, he is going to waste both of them. Mark my words my son.)" She looks at me saying before she starts pouring huge spoonful after spoonful of the flour into the bowl.

"Sono sicuro che prenderà la decisione giusta. (I'm sure he will make the right decision.)"

I said to Mama nodding my head. My pager soon ring like nobody's business. It was my handful of the youngest sister Mia.

"Dì a quella bambina di portare a casa il suo culo o dirò al suo Papa è messa a terra per il mese. (Tell that little girl to bring her ass home or I'll tell her Papa she's grounded for the month.)"

She starts her rant the moment I told her Mia is the one paging me. "Ultimamente è ridicola, è incredibile che possa suonare i nostri cercapersone come bottoni. (She is being ridiculous lately, it is unbelievable that she can ring our pagers like buttons)" She soon continue her ranting.

"Ti sta chiedendo se stai cucinando stasera. (She's asking if you're cooking tonight.)"

I said to her once I checked what Mia wants in my pager. 'Women these days are dramatic' I can't help rolling my eyes seeing the messages and the look Mama had on her face.

"Quel manichino non può chiamare?! (That dummy can't call?!)"

Mama facepalmed. "Lo giuro... chiamala e dì che sto cucinando, quindi è meglio che torni a casa presto. (I swear...call her and say I am cooking so she better be home soon.)" She tells me. I nodded my head before I make the call.