Chapter 510 - 106 Revenge from Within

Chapter 510: Chapter 106 Revenge from Within

Daniel’s POV

Staring at the calendar on my desk at the precinct, I counted the days until Lila’s DNA test results would arrive. Only a short time remained. The anticipation gnawed at me like a persistent ache. I hoped Beckett’s suspicions would prove correct—Lila deserved better than having that manipulative woman as her mother. In the mafia world, bloodlines determined everything, and the truth about Lila’s parentage could reshape the entire Sullivan family hierarchy.

"Inspector, got a minute?" I looked up to see Gideon standing in my doorway. He was the detective I’d enlisted to investigate the circumstances surrounding Beckett’s mother’s death—a case that could unravel decades of family secrets within the Sullivan crime syndicate.

"Gideon! This is unexpected." I rose to greet him, gesturing toward the chair across from my desk. We’d worked together when he first joined the force, long before either of us understood how deeply the mafia families had penetrated law enforcement. "Didn’t think you’d be stopping by today."

"There’s a reason I came in person instead of calling. What I’ve uncovered needs to be discussed face-to-face." Gideon’s expression was grave as he settled into the chair. The weight of his words told me this wasn’t routine.

"Must be significant if it brought you all the way down here," I observed, noting the tension in his shoulders.

"It is. What started as a favor for you might become something much bigger—possibly involving other families in our network." That caught my attention immediately. When investigations crossed family boundaries in our world, things got complicated fast.

"How so?" I leaned forward, recognizing that whatever he’d discovered could have far-reaching implications beyond the Sullivan family.

"Let me walk you through what I’ve found. Tiffany, the maid in question, had been working in the Sullivan household for some time before the incident. But here’s where it gets interesting—before that, she was employed in Nathaniel’s legitimate business operations. Nathaniel being the husband of the woman who died in childbirth, of course. What’s fascinating is that Nathaniel’s father terminated her employment some months before she mysteriously appeared as household staff." This detail was new, and I wondered if Beckett knew about this connection to the family’s front businesses.

"What was her role in the organization, and why was she let go?" I asked, understanding that in mafia-controlled businesses, employment decisions were never arbitrary.

"Her sister couldn’t provide specifics about her exact position. She knew Tiffany handled administrative work—probably managing some of the cleaner financial records that families use for legitimacy. But the sister never learned why Tiffany was dismissed. However, she did mention that Tiffany was furious about it and constantly talked about getting revenge against the family. Even more intriguing, Tiffany apparently had a close ally within the organization—someone she confided everything to. The sister couldn’t remember this person’s name, just that Tiffany shared all her plans with this contact." Gideon had uncovered a potential network of betrayal within the Sullivan family’s operations.

"Interesting. But if she harbored such resentment about being fired from the business side, why would she seek employment in their personal household? That’s moving from the periphery straight into the heart of family life."

"I asked the sister the same question, and she found it equally puzzling. According to her, Tiffany said she needed to be close to the family to execute her revenge properly." As Gideon spoke, my mind raced through various scenarios. In the mafia world, household staff often had access to the most sensitive family secrets—financial records, meeting schedules, personal vulnerabilities.

"This just makes the whole situation more mysterious," I remarked, thinking about how such access could be weaponized.

"Exactly. The sister is convinced Tiffany despised the Sullivan family by the end. During their last conversation, Tiffany mentioned she’d be moving closer to her sister soon because her revenge was almost complete and she planned to disappear afterward. This conversation happened just days before Tiffany was found dead. The sister also found the drowning highly suspicious—Tiffany couldn’t swim and always avoided bodies of water." Gideon’s investment in the case was evident in his voice.

"Compelling. Did the sister have any insight into what form this revenge was supposed to take?" I asked, knowing that in our world, revenge could range from financial sabotage to exposing family secrets to rival organizations.

"Only that Tiffany claimed it would target what the family valued most." Gideon studied my face carefully. "I believe there’s something substantial beneath this whole story. I’d like to interview the deceased woman’s family directly—get their perspective on these events."

"That’s not possible right now, Gideon. My girlfriend is the daughter from the widower’s second marriage, and she remains unaware of this investigation." I couldn’t risk exposing Lila to the darker aspects of her family’s history—not yet, not until I had concrete proof. In the mafia world, knowledge could be as dangerous as bullets.

"I’m convinced there’s more to uncover here. Perhaps we could locate this confidant—the person Tiffany shared her plans with? They might provide the missing pieces?" Gideon’s detective instincts were fully engaged, a common trait among officers who stumbled upon cases involving family secrets and organized crime.

"How do we identify this person without a name to work with?" I asked, though I was genuinely intrigued by the possibility.

"We could request employment records from that period and see if any names trigger the sister’s memory when she sees them."

It wasn’t a terrible approach, especially considering the meticulous record-keeping that mafia families maintained for their legitimate operations.

"Here’s what we’ll do: interviewing the deceased woman’s family isn’t feasible, but I can contact my brother-in-law—Beckett, the son of the woman who died—and request the employment records you need. That should be sufficient for now," I suggested, knowing Beckett would understand the delicate nature of this investigation.

"Perfect. Can you arrange this quickly?"

"I believe so." With Gideon watching, I called Beckett and briefed him on our progress and what we needed. He assured me he could obtain the employment records, though it might take several days to retrieve them without raising suspicions within the family’s business operations. After thanking him, I explained the delay to Gideon.

"One more development—when Tiffany died, her sister traveled to handle the body, burial arrangements, and clearing out the house. She collected all of Tiffany’s personal belongings and transported them home. According to her, those boxes should still be stored somewhere in her basement. She promised to contact me once she locates them." Gideon’s visit to Tiffany’s sister had been remarkably productive.

"That’s excellent news—those boxes might contain the evidence we need to understand her true motives." My interest was thoroughly piqued; I’d apparently given my friend quite the engaging case to sink his teeth into.

"That’s exactly what I’m hoping for." Gideon smiled with satisfaction.

"What about the midwife situation?" I inquired, remembering another loose thread in our investigation.

"Another interesting development there—I canvassed the area, speaking with longtime residents. Nobody recalled a midwife specifically, but one elderly gentleman remembered a nurse who provided private services to wealthy households. He couldn’t recall her name, but he mentioned that only two nurses worked at the local hospital during that time period, and one of them is still employed there. I haven’t interviewed her yet, but I plan to in the coming days." Gideon’s thoroughness impressed me.

"When this case concludes, I might try recruiting you for more sensitive assignments. You’ve extracted remarkable information from practically nothing." My compliment clearly pleased him.

"If you can make that happen, I’d accept without hesitation. But first, I want to solve this mystery. This case has become personal."

We continued discussing the details and potential next steps before Gideon eventually departed. I remained seated, contemplating our conversation, increasingly fascinated by whatever dark secrets lay buried in Lila’s family history. In the mafia world, the past never truly stayed buried—it had a way of surfacing at the worst possible moments.

My thoughts were interrupted by my phone ringing, pulling me back to the present.