Mafia in Death - an In Death series fanfic (J.D. Robb)

Chapter 6

Eve knew she's having a nightmare, one wherein she'll going to meet her Mommy and Daddy again, and it was something that happened in the past.

She was two, but it was one of her best memories about Mommy.

Mommy gave her a nice pink summer dress with flowers and matching clips. She was happy when Mommy brushed her long hair and don her some make-up.

"You look like a bitchy doll.", Mommy commented.

She didn't understand the meaning of the words yet, but at least Mommy didn't slap or punch some needles on her hand. Instead, she played with her. And that's enough for her.

Whenever Mommy was using a needle for herself, she was happy. But when Mommy used it to her, she was in pain. It hurts every time Mommy would draw some red liquid on her arm, and if she cried, Mommy would hit her.

Daddy arrived with a large camera in his hand. She's scared towards Daddy, not because of his loud voice and big hands, but because of his eyes. She was scared of Daddy's dark eyes that looked at her like he's going to eat her.

"Why don't you move that kid and have this garden her backdrop?", Daddy said, then shrugged. "No, have her pose between those petunias."

Mommy pulled her towards a bushy white flowers and left. Then Daddy aimed the camera and flashed a shot.

"You bitch, look at the camera!", Mommy shouted.

"What's an italian for smile? She might probably respond to that.", Daddy joked.

"She's as dumb as her father. Look at her; she couldn't even speak a single word."

"It might be because you took some Rabbit, Stel. Didn't I tell you that damaged goods don't sell well?"

Mommy ribboned her arms around Daddy's neck. "Rich, based on my experience, as long as it's a European mix, even if she's mute or deaf, anybody would buy her."

"Just make sure that the idiot don would never wound up about our big plans - milking him while we sell his daughter. That should double the money. How's that?"

Mommy and Daddy laughed and enjoyed their conversation, something that she never understood yet.

Then suddenly, the garden transformed into a filthy four-wall room. Mommy was cradling her while holding a long needle.

"Hey bitch, we're going to send some blood samples again for Papa. He seems to forget about you, about us, that he stopped sending us some money. See, Daddy hit Mommy again because Papa lost his interest towards you."

No Mommy, it hurts!

"Then we'll cut another lock of your hair smeared with your blood, and have that sent to Papa as a warning."

Mommy pulled a scissor and cut a hair near her ears.

Mommy, no!

She struggled, but Mommy hit her.

Repeatedly.

The moment Eve rustled on their bed, and screamed for pain, Roarke was on his foot towards their room.

"Eve, baby, come back to me.", Roarke whispered as he held her hands. She whimpered and moaned like a child.

"Mommy, it hurts! Please, stop!"

It was a solid blow to his heart when he heard her screaming Mommy. Usually, it was Daddy who was haunting her, but now her Mommy started to infiltrate her thoughts. Eve had shared some of her memories about Stella, but her nightmares about her were not as intense as this.

Summerset, who was still recovering from shock, scrammed and ran towards the bedroom as well and witnessed the horror.

"Let me fetch her some water and a soother.", he said and motioned when Roarke nodded.

Roarke rocked her and pressed his lips to her clammy forehead. "Come back to me, Eve. Please."

Eve's rapid heartbeat started to go normal, as well as the circulation of her breath calmed and relaxed. When she shivered, Roarke wrapped her with a blanket and embraced her tightly.

"Mommy hurt me; she pricked some needles on my arm. It hurts.", Eve whined in tears.

"Hush, baby. It's alright. You're here with me. No one can hurt you now."

Roarke ran his hand towards her arms, assuring her that everything's fine, but beneath that soothing voice, his eyes were seeking murder.





Dr. Mira arrived and Summerset met her at the house gate. He led her inside the foyer and helped her shrugged her coat.

"Thank you for that private transport, Summerset. I couldn't get any vehicles from Ohio to get here in New York immediately. Today's the last day of the conference, so it's alright if I skipped it."

"Sorry for the trouble, but the Lieutenant and Roarke needs your help."

"She had a nightmare.". That was a statement from Mira, something that pained her heart to know.

Summerset only nodded and assisted her towards the lounge room.

Mira was a top-profiler and one of the finest psychologists, that's why when she saw the distraught look at Summerset, she knew there was something more.

"Roarke filled me some details about Eve, and their interaction with this Don Miguel. He also shared some salient about his past with this man.", she said as she sat at the couch. "Now I see that you, as a foster father of Roarke, must have known more about his involvement with this mafia, and I believe you have something to share about the man."

Summerset sat at the opposite side, and looked at his aged, calloused hands. "It was nearly two decades and a half since my Marlena died, and even until now, I'm still mourning for her death."

Then he glanced at Mira with sorrow. "But when I saw the Lieutenant for the second time fighting her nightmares, it made me see my Marlena again and the brutality she had suffered. Any parent would do such extent to protect their child, but then, why there were still others who would do the other way around?"

Mira sighed, "Those were the people who were selfish, close-minded, and corrupted with an inability to know and feel love. Because they've been denied by society, they give back by denying the ones that they should have cherished most. They were like monsters in a form of humans."

Summerset became silent for a minute, and took a deep breath.

"It's better if I should tell you all about Don Miguel at my own perspective, before you gave some counsels to my other two children."