Chapter 46: Death by Pie

 Reilly stared in horrified shock at the crumpled form of his cousin.  She had called him last night to arrange a meeting with him, she had claimed to have some information about Monty.  When he asked her how she had come about this information on Monty, she told Reilly that she was Monty's mistress.  Was, being the operative word.

 
  And now she lay dead, beneath the Pie Eating contest sign, whatever she was going to tell him, died with her.  His phone began to ring, Reilly answered it, absent mindedly.  "No one crosses the Monty's." a deep voice said, then hung up.  He glared at his phone.  Reilly was more determined than ever, to get Patrizio Monty behind bars.

  It was time to get serious.

  
  He had hoped it would be as simple as looking through Monty's mailbox, but it was not.  It was times like these that Reilly really wished he could use his powers.  In the interest of blending in, and not drawing attention to himself or his family, he had promised his father and grandfather, to limit his use of powers to only healing those who sought the cure for the curse.  Monte Vista was no Moonlight Falls.

  He sighed wearily.  There was no hope for it, he would have to try the stinky garbage can.  His least favorite investigative tool.

 
 
  While Reilly played around in the trash can, Puck had his birthday.  Puck thought it was a real drag to be a teen boy with pink hair, and pink wings.

 
  Puck was not the only Kahekili to have a birthday. Birthdays always happened in multiples in the Kahekili household.

  Juniper and Drake had gone swimming in the night ocean.

 

  When Drake felt this overwhelming desire to swim for shore.  He left his younger brother straggling behind as he hauled himself up onto the rocky beach.

 

  Drake was rather philosophical about the aging up thing.  At least he wasn't the only teen boy to have pink hair, and pink wings.

     Ash celebrated his birthday as well.

 
  Puck didn't let his pink hair or pink wings stop him from attending Prom the next night, however.

 
  Drake decided to stay home, but Puck was glad that he went.  Turned out the girls went crazy for his hair and wings, and he ended up being voted Prom King.  And he didn't even know anyone yet!

  Ash was ecstatic when he found out he was royalty.  Now this was something he could get into.  If only his brother would stop bathing in the sink, it was quite distracting to his royal highness.

  "Drake, go take a shower like a normal human being.  You are offending my royalness and my eyes!"

  "Can it Squirt."  Drake replied.  "I don't like the way my wings feel when they get wet.  I'll take a sponge bath if I want to take a sponge bath, and no pint sized midget is going to tell me otherwise."

  
  "Dad!"  Ash yelled.  It was time to bring out the big guns.  Midget indeed, Ash huffed.  He was royalty!

  Juniper left childhood behind.

 

  All too soon, it was the quads birthday.  As usual they grew up among chaos and noise.


  Cherry:

 
  Cedrela:

  

  Alder:

 
  and Camellia:

 
  Cherry promptly asks her Mom to read her a story. 

 

  Once Cherry fell asleep, Elly joined Reilly in the living room.  She was looking forward to spending some time with him.  Just then, Reilly's phone began to ring, with an apologetic smile at his wife, he answered it.   "Signore, meet me at..."  Reilly quickly grabbed a nearby notepad and pen and scribbled down the address. "...in ten minutes, I may be able to help you."

  "I'll be there."  Reilly hung up the phone, and grabbed his jacket.  He started for the door, but Elly stopped him.

  "You have to work again Reilly?"

  Reilly kissed her lightly on the lips.  "I'm sorry Elly, but yes, it's very important that I go."

  "You are always gone." she said in a disappointed voice.

  "I promise to spend more time at home, soon, Elly.  But I've got to go."  Reilly hurried out the door, and jumped into his car.  He had been investigating Patrizio Monty for a long time, but no one would ever step forth and give him any information.  They were all too afraid of the reprisals, which in the case of his cousin, were quite severe.  Finally someone else was willing to talk, and he wanted to reach her before Monty did.

  He had talked to Giovanna Costa before, and she had insisted that she had nothing to say.  He wondered why she decided to talk now.

  "Ms. Costa?"

  She turned to face him, her eyes were filled with fear, anger, and anguish.  "Reilly." she gasped.  "You startled me."

  

   "I don't have much time."  She handed him a thumb drive.  "The next shipment comes in two weeks.  All that I know is in there."  She inclined her head towards the thumbdrive in Reilly's hand. 

    Reilly fingered the thumb drive.  "What's in it?"

  "Financial records." she answered.  "I was in charge of burying the money, and I did a fine job of it too." she said proudly.  "Another few months, and I would have been gone.  My boy..." her voice choked up, " and I, we'd be sunning ourselves on a lovely Caribbean beach.  But no, " she said bitterly, "He had to make an example!  He might not have pulled the trigger, but he killed my boy, the only person I ever loved."

  "I'm sorry for your loss..." Reilly started to say.

  "Forget it." she interrupted, harshly.  "I'm not interested in platitudes.  My life is over, I'll be dead within days.  Take that..." again she looked towards the thumbdrive in his hands, " and bury the *&*$#@ in a deep dark hole.  You won't get him on murder, or even drug charges, he's too wily for that.  But those documents I copied, you could get him for tax evasion. I hope he rots in jail."  Reilly heard voices, he looked behind him to see who it might be, but they never came very close, and then their voices faded away.  When he turned around again, Giovanna Costa was long gone.

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  Challenge Notes:  So curiously enough, the American Government, more often that not, busted the Mafia for tax avoidance.  They should have paid their taxes, lol.

  It is more challenging now that the quads are kids.  They are all going off in different directions, and the pause button is my friend! :D

  Ah yes---I had my first death by pie accident.  Poor girl.  I briefly thought about *saving* her, but realized she already had 5 kids, she had done her job of adding to MV's population explosion.  We need more room Captain!  In the end, I let her die.  And I still let the Pie Eating Contests go on.  I am terrible, I know.  But somehow I need less sims in town, and I cannot out and out kill them...

  And yes--that is my lame attempt at the reason why Reilly doesn't use his Powers.  I had a pretty good reason, great storyline too---but I've lost it all now.  (My notebook with all my ideas was recycled courtesy of helpful kids, and my memory is awful, the combo was lethal to this storyline!)  So this will have to do, lol.