Balotelli-Bale Series Book #6: Regina Mia & The Godfather Part 1

Chapter 4: Red Roses

Detective Brian's POV
My interest in the mafia is personal.

About two and a half years ago, my niece, was brutally murdered. Sue had problems that I'm not going to deny. She was using and it had gotten out of hand. I put her in one rehabilitation center after another, wishing for nothing but for her to get a grip of her life. She didn't stop. She was hanging with a bad crowd. Bad friends I knew nothing about. I tried to get through to her, over and over again. When she finally showed signs of getting clean, she disappeared.

When I came home that day, I found her bedroom unoccupied. The bed was made and everything looked neat. I remember thinking she was with her bad friends. I wanted to comb through New York looking for her but I was tired. I wish I went out looking for her. I wish I did. Two nights later, when I sent out word to my fellow officers to help me find her, she turned up.

Strangled, beaten and shot.

Sue is my late sister's only daughter. I failed my sister. The grief compelled me to search for her assailant. I did what it took, threatened who needed to be threatened, blackmailed those I had leverage on and after two years, I caught the bastard.

Tommy Morelli, the twenty one year old who was dating my seventeen year old niece put up a fight before we took him down. He was busted for possession of illegal drugs and guns. He refused to confess to the murder of my niece. No matter how hard we pressed him, he remained silent.

It was at that moment that I realized I didn't want the kid. I wanted bigger fish, the heavy weights. I started looking into his associates. Most of them are Italian. They keep their circle tight. We made other bursts in his circle. We had nothing that would stick as in the case of Tommy Morelli but it must have been enough to scare Tommy into a confession.

I think he was scared or taking one for the team. He confessed to all charges and he admitted that he murdered my niece. For me, it wasn't enough. I started pushing for more information. He played hard ball until one evening, he called me from prison, asking me to visit him.

He gave me a name that I thought to be a joke at first but as it turns out, it's not that far fetched.

"Tim Rowland?" I approached the man mowing his loan. He slowed down and gave me attention.

"What?"

"My name is-"

"Brian Lance. You have been leaving endless messages in my answering machine. What do you want?"

"I want to talk about Nickolas Balotelli Bale."

His eyes narrowed. He looked around him as though he's looking for something. "Look around." He told me. "Is this place appealing?"

It's a run down neighborhood. "No."

"Do you know how I ended up unemployed and broke? Nickolas Balotelli Bale. That's how. I don't want to get into anything that has to do with him."

"Not even if we stand a chance to take him down?"

"Around six years ago, I stood a chance too. I was so sure of myself until he wasn't guilty anymore."

"This is full proof. Hear me out."

"Come in." He led the way to his house. I followed. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"I'm good." I sat down and looked at the endless piles of newspapers.

"What do you have on him?" He has a beer in his hand.

"A kid we bursted for possession and murder pointed at him."

"What has Nick got to do with the kid?"

"Nick is his boss."