AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gia and Glory didn’t know each other very well, but Gia wanted to change that, so when she invited Dolly to lunch, she had asked her to bring Glory along. After all, Glory’s brother had married Gia’s cousin and that made them family. Although she hadn’t known that Glory had run her own business, she wasn’t surprised. It seemed that the Saints women, at least the ones she knew, were a pretty accomplished bunch.
Raine had a nursing degree, Claire was working towards her master’s in psychology, Glory and Dolly were entrepreneurs, and Pinky seemed to be the wind underneath the great Prosper Worthington’s wing’s. Impressive bunch.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Dolly bent down and reached into the large tote purse. “We bought you a little something for the baby.”
Gia smiled when she saw the green gingham gift bag with the little giraffe on the front. Her first baby gift! She was just about to dig into the package when there was a knock at the door.
“You want me to get that?” Glory asked her.
Gia waved her hand away dismissively. “No, it’s okay. It’s just the delivery guy. I’ve been ordering some things online. He usually knocks once then leaves the package.” Gia went back to rustling through the tissue paper.
After a slight pause there was another knock at the door, this time louder and more forceful.
“Maybe it’s something you have to sign for. Open your gift, I’ll get it.” Glory told her.
While Gia held up and gushed over the pretty handmade baby quilt, the sound of footsteps and a tense kind of silence filled the room.
“Oh boy.” Gia heard Dolly mutter in dismay.
She dropped the quilt instantly and what she saw made her smiling countenance crumple like a house of sand. She felt a shock go through her body from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Glory was standing at the open door and her face had paled to chalk white. Next to Glory stood four men that Gia had never seen before. One was in a suit and the others stood behind him with ATF windbreakers on. Now they circled the table like jungle cats stalking prey.
“Special Agent Kennedy.” Dolly nodded to the man who stepped forward.
“Mrs. McCabe.” He nodded back to her.
“Dolly, what’s happening?” Gia whispered.
Dolly kept her eye on Agent Kennedy. “Honey, I believe the house is getting raided.”
The agent focused on Gia.
“Mrs. Devlin, we have a warrant to search the property.” Then he put down a piece of paper in front of her.
“A what?” Gia asked weakly.
“It’s a warrant for search and seizure, ma’am.” Officer Kennedy’s eyes, though steely gray, were not unkind. He was a tall, fit man in his early sixties. He wore his salt and pepper hair cut short, military style. His jaw was square, his teeth were white, and he carried himself with an air of authority. The sight of the badge he was wearing made Gia dizzy. A flood of memories came rushing towards her.
As Gia looked at the FBI agent, a forgotten punch list resurfaced and flashed through her mind like wild fire. Unfortunately,special visits, as her mom used to call them, were nothing new to her. Although, it had been a while, acts of search and seizure had been an integral part of Gia’s childhood. They were such a common occurrence in fact, that Gia had thought that they happened in every family.
By the time Valentina and Gia were ten years old, they didn’t even pause in playing their board game as the officers pulled out drawers and searched through the bookshelves all around them. Once the girls became old enough, there was a list posted inside the kitchen cabinet of what to do if a visit occurred on the off chance they were home alone.
Do not talk to any of the men except to give your name. They are not here to help you.
Give the man in the suit Uncle Santino’s card (there’s a stack in the left hand drawer) and tell them he is the family counselor. Then you call Uncle Sal.
While you are waiting for Uncle Sal, ask for a copy of the paper called a search warrant. If they take anything out of the house not on that paper, write and down and keep an ongoing list.
Write down the names of all the officers in the house.
Sit down, stay calm and wait for Uncle Sal.
“Ma’am?” He was closer to her now. Gia could detect the faint scent of tobacco and expensive aftershave.
“Yes, sir, I’m fine." Gia responded frostily. “I will need a copy of the search warrant and names of all the officers present.”
Special Kennedy took a long look at Gia then. His gaze lingering on her obvious pregnancy.
“Sounds like you’ve been through this before.” He said with resignation.
