Page 2 of Mafia Kingdom

“What is happening here?” I take a step closer to the long table. It’s like a lab with its burners and portions of materials all weighed out.

“Dad is in big trouble.” Lily sobs, and I kneel down, pulling her into my chest. “It’s okay, Lily. I’m here now.” I try to smile at her through my fear. She’s only nine, and it’s not fair to keep pushing her for answers that my father clearly has.

“Have you eaten?” I ask Lily.

She wipes the tears away from her green eyes, the exact same shade as mine,with the back of her hand and shakes her head.

“Then let's get you some food.”

I rise and hold out my hand, but she doesn’t take it, her gaze flowing to the door where the men just departed.

“They are gone, Lily. It’s okay.”Gone for now?

Lily slips her small hand into mine and lets me guide her to the kitchen.

She sits at the breakfast counter and moves the mail and some old shopping bags to clear a space. My anger grows as I search for bread, but mold has coated the edges. I find a box of cereal and some fresh milk and make her a bowl. Her gaze doesn’t settle on anything; fear still so visible in her gaze as I place the bowl in front of her.

She starts to eat, and I take a moment to question her. “Did they hurt you?” I ask.

I see no visible marks on my sister, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been hurt.

She swallows and shakes her head. “I normally get to stay in the living room and watch TV when they are here. Today was the first day they took me there.” Her spoon clangs into her bowl. Her gaze filling up with tears again. “I hate the smell.”

“It’s over now. You eat your breakfast.” I walk across the room and turn on the TV, flicking through the channels until I come across a children’s program.

Mr. Bean’s animated face fills the screen. “Any idea where Dad is?” I ask, trying not to sound as angry or worried as I am.

“When the men took me in the room, I heard his footsteps on the stairs.”

He just left her? I can see the pain reflected in my sister's eyes, but I smile.

“I’ll be back in a moment.”

I pass the front door and lock it before climbing the stairs to find our father. I don’t want to leave Lily alone, but I need answers. I hear a sob from above. I look up to see Dad emerging from the attic, tears streaming down his face. He's a shadow of the man I remember, his shoulders slumped, eyes hollow.

"I'm so sorry," he cries, collapsing into a heap on the floor. "I couldn't protect her. I couldn't protect any of us."

I rush to his side, hugging him tightly, all my anger dissolving and true fear taking over; I’ve never seen my father like this. "It's okay, Dad. We'll figure this out," I say, though my own voice trembles with uncertainty.

“But you have got to tell me what’s happening.”

He won’t look at me but stares at his hands. I want to grab his shoulders and shake him for answers.

“I told them to leave, that the deal was off, but Dave didn’t like it. He threatened Lily.”

“What were they doing here in the first place?” I ask.

My father finally looks at me. Shame clouding his eyes. “I fell behind on the mortgage and decided to rent out the garage to some guys. I didn’t know they would be using it as a meth lab. I never went in there, but the smell one day had me going in, and I discovered the drugs.”

I rock back on my heels at his words. “How could you be so stupid?”

“I thought they were just using it for storage.”

“We need to go to the Gardai,” I say, rising. “We can report them.”

Dad is shaking his head. “They said if I did, they would hurt Lily. They took her in there today as insurance that I wouldn't go anywhere.” He sobs. “I shouldn’t have left her.”

He’s right; he shouldn’t have. But blaming him won’t fix this.

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