Raphael's POV
I've negotiated with crime lords, stared down rival bosses, and once talked my way out of an FBI investigation. But nothing had prepared me for sitting in the Thompson's modest living room, being studied by six pairs of eyes like I was some rare and possibly dangerous zoo exhibit.
Robert Thompson - my longtime employee and now father-in-law - sat rod straight in his armchair, looking like he couldn't decide whether to call me 'sir' or 'son'. His wife Margaret clutched a family album to get chest like a shield, though I noticed she'd positioned herself between me and her children. A mother's instinct, even against the man her daughter had married.
Then there were the siblings. Susan had mentioned having younger siblings, but she hadn't mentioned that they were... characters.
"So," Chloe, the sixteen-year-old, broke the painful silence. "You're saying my sister managed to outrun your security team? Twice?"
"Yes."
"The same sister who once got stuck in her own sweater for twenty minutes?"
"Chloe!" Margaret gasped.
From the kitchen doorway, Jeremiah, the oldest brother at eighteen, leaned against the frame with his arms crossed. "To be fair, Mom, that sweater incident was pretty legendary. Though not as legendary as the time she tried to teach Julie to drive."
Julie, the youngest at twelve, sat cross-legged on the floor, her science textbook forgotten in her lap. "That wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know the parking brake was still on?"
Chloe leaned forward, clearly one of the braver ones of the bunch. "Did she really hit you with a vase?"
I touched the slight bump on my head reflexively. "She did."
A snort came from the corner where Tommy, the fourteen-year-old brother, quickly tried to turn his laugh into a cough. When I looked his way, he became intensely interested in the carpet pattern. Jeremiah didn't even try to hide his grin, while Julie covered her mouth with both hands, eyes dancing with laughter.
"We haven't heard from her," Robert said quickly, probably trying to steer the conversation away from my head incident. "But if we do..."
"You'll be the first to know," Margaret finished, then bit her lip. "Is she... is she in trouble?"
"No," I said firmly. "I just need to speak with her."
"About the marriage?" Chloe pressed. "Because I have questions about that. Like, a lot of questions. Starting with why..."
"Did you know she used to practice her wedding vows with stuffed animals?" Julie piped up, earning a sharp look from Jeremiah that clearly said 'Not helping.'
"Julie Grace Thompson!" Margaret cut her off. "This isn't an interrogation!"
"Actually, it kind of is," Tommy muttered. "I mean, our sister married the m..." He caught his father's warning look. "The, uh, the businessman? Yeah, businessman. And we didn't even get invited or get cake."
Jeremiah straightened up, suddenly all business. "Speaking of which, I have some concerns about the prenup..."
"Jeremiah!" Robert warned.
"I'm pre-law Dad. These are legitimate questions!"
I found myself fighting a smile. Now I knew where Susan got her spirit from.
"She might be at Laura's," Chloe suggested. "They always hide out there when things get crazy. Like that time Susan accidentally set fire to..."
"We don't need to share that story!" Margaret interrupted quickly.
I found myself wanting to hear more. But maybe at a later date. "We've checked Ms. Bennett's apartment," I said. "They... managed to evade my men."
"Through Mrs. Chen's balcony?" Tommy perked up. "Class Susan escape route. She used that one time when Nick..." He stopped abruptly, probably realizing that it was a bad idea to discuss his sister's ex-boyfriend with her husband.
I made a mental note to look into this person who'd clearly hurt Susan.
"If you're worried about Susan," Chloe said slowly, studying me with an intensity that was surprising for a teenager, "you might want to check Aunt Martha's."
"Remember when she hid there after the prom incident?" Julie whispered to Jeremiah, who quickly shushed her.
"Aunt Martha?"
"Laura's aunt," Margaret explained. "She takes in all the neighborhood strays. Human and animal alike."
"She makes the best cookies," Tommy added helpfully. "And she never asks questions. Even that time Susan and Laura borrowed her car to chase down the ice cream truck that..."
"Tommy!" Five voices chorused.
I stood, straightening my jacket. "Thank you for time. And for the... information."
"Mr. Marino?" Chloe called as I made my way to the door. "When you find her... try not to look so scary. You kind of have this whole 'I could kill a man with my pinky' vibe going on."
"Chloe!" Robert looked mortified.
"I'm helping! Susan probably took one look at his murder face and panicked. Try smiling more!"
Tommy nodded. "Yeah, but maybe not too much. That might be scarier."
"It's the eyebrows," Julie whispered. "They're very intense."
Jeremiah's looked like his mind was someplace else, probably planning his sister's legal defense.
I heard Margaret whisper "Oh my God" under her breath.
"I'll... take that under advisement," I said carefully.
As I left, I heard the family burst into frantic whispers:
"Did you really just give a mob boss smile advice?"
"Well someone had to! Did you see his face?"
"I don't care! He's handsome, and is so my type."
"We're all going to die."
"No one is dying!"
"I'll start drafting our wills."
"Michael!"
I slide into my car, fighting back the urge to laugh. Now I understood where Susan got her complete lack of self-preservation from. It was genetic. I was already imagining how our future child would turn out.
"Bring up Aunt Martha's information. We're heading there now." I told Marco, "And Marco?"
"Yes, Boss?"
"Do you think I should smile more?"
Marco's eyes widened in the rearview mirror. "With all due respect, Boss, maybe we should stick to your usual expression. Less chance of causing heart attacks."
I shook my head in amusement. Somewhere in this city, my runaway bride was probably planning her next escape. But for the first time since she'd fled, I wasn't worried. I'm surely getting her this time.