Mob Princess

Peter Argonis

© 2025

Summary

Graduating from college, Tess DiRosa, grandniece of alleged mobster Vincent DiRosa, feels at a cross-roads, either to follow the pre-ordained path to law school or her yearning for an exciting life. Mostly for giggles, she applies for the US Secret Service, reasoning that nobody would seriously consider her as a federal agent, would they?

Frequent readers of my contemporary works will recognize characters from earlier novels, who pop up here and there to provide cohesion within my universes. Like another recent story, Mob Princess is straddling both the Philadelphia and the Clearwater Universes, but this work is primarily meant as a sequel to Can't Pick Your Family, which is now also available at the ZBookStore in a revised version.

Mob Princess is pure fiction, and neither the characters nor the events depicted herein are meant to portray real persons, living or dead. The learning institutions described are real. Again, the events described are fictional and in no way meant to reflect the behavior of students or staff at these schools. I have a rough idea of the years in which the story is set, but the government officials described, too, are purely fictional and do not portray actual American politicians. I have no interest in getting embroiled in US politics.

 

 

Table of Contents

1 - Crossroads

2 - Eileen

3 - For Giggles

4 - Surprise!

5 - Of Nails and Hammers

6 - Probie

7 - The Big Skies

8 - Mister Arnold Schwarz

9 - The Wicked College Teacher

10 - Damsel in Distress

11 - Elusive Trail

12 - Mop-Up

13 - Under Cover

14 - Fitting In

15 - Burned

16 - On The Fast Lane

17 - Buddies

18 - House Call

19 - Adjusting

20 - Dating

21 - Getting Serious

22 - On the Road

23 - The Closeted Influencer

24 - Change About to Come

25 - New Start

26 - Multi Tasking

27 - Closing Cases and Deals

28 - The Big Step

The End

 

1 - Crossroads

The sound of the air pump was muted enough and the hot water was soothing for her sore muscles. Tess DiRosa leaned back in the Jacuzzi tub and let the water jets and the air bubbles work their magic on her body while the excitement of the day ebbed away. Three hours earlier, at the Dojo, Master Ryoki Tanaka, 4th Dan, had formally awarded her the black belt and skirt — the hakama — of the 1st Dan in Aikido. She had performed a kata for him with a real katana, which she now had the right to use, and the event closed with a tea ceremony performed by Tess's 2nd Dan sensei.

Even more than her college graduation a week before, this ceremony ended a distinct phase of her life. Come the fall, she would finally move out of the Victorian town house in the Powelton Village neighborhood of Philadelphia where she had grown up. She and her brother Joseph – Joey – would keep the house, but like Joey, she would move away. Joey was still working on his PhD at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and she, Tess, was headed for law school at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She'd had offers from other schools, but Cornell was relatively close to home and to what was left of her family.

Her last name – DiRosa – still rang the chimes in law enforcement circles and in the upper echelons of organized crime. Her great uncle, Vincent DiRosa, now approaching eighty years, was supposed to be one of the last Cosa Nostra capos, or Dons, and her cousin Felix, the old man's grandson, was rumored to be the Numero Uno Martello, the Nº1 hammer or chief enforcer, of the DiRosa syndicate.

Seven years earlier, a group of misguided Albanian thugs had thought it a good idea to assassinate Tess's parents to send a message to Don Vincente. Tess and her brother had been caught in the bullet hail. Tess suffered partial palsy for the better part of a year from a glancing head shot that had caused a cerebral hemorrhage. Joey had fared even worse, catching three slugs in his chest when he had thrown himself over his little sister.

The siblings overcame the injuries and moved on with their lives. Joey was now married to his high school sweetheart Deirdre, another science geek, albeit one with a harrowing history herself. Tess had associated a little more with her great uncle and her cousin, and she would follow the old man's suggestion to aim for law school, expecting a role within the DiRosa organization.

The DiRosa empire, the legitimate part at least, was huge and varied. Construction companies, a drug store chain, car dealerships, a security firm, and many other enterprises were all run by close and distant relatives. By a conservative estimate, Vincent DiRosa was a billionaire or very close to it. Somewhere in that huge conglomerate, there would be a worthwhile job for Teresa DiRosa J.D., Attorney at Law.

During the last years, she had already interned at a prestigious Philadelphia law firm, getting to know contract law, tax law, and family law. This summer, she would intern with Maureen Darling, the litigation partner in the firm. This would be interesting. Firstly, Maureen was family. She was Joey's mother-in-law. Even weirder, she was the mother of Joey's daughter after a brief fling when Deirdre had left Joey for all intents and purposes. To complicate things even further, Maureen was openly lesbian and living with a female police sergeant. Apart from this muddled family situation, Maureen was a top-notch litigator who had made a name for herself as a fearsome prosecutor in the District Attorney's office. Now on the other side of the courtrooms, she was known to reduce young prosecutors to tears. Tess expected to have fun with her.

She relaxed further now, just floating in the hot water and trying to envision her future. She would receive a top-notch education at Cornell. Normally, graduating from an Ivy League School, she would be recruited by the top law firms in New York, Boston, or Philadelphia. Chances were however that her choices would be very limited. Uncle Vincent would plan her early career to fit his interests. That was okay with Tess. It was part of the deal she had struck with him in those dark days, six years ago, when her brother Joey had to pledge himself to their great uncle.

Joey's sweetheart Deirdre had been kidnapped by a pair of drug-crazed dealers, and the connections and resources of the DiRosa had been the only hope to get the girl back alive. Even that was achieved only barely so, with Deirdre suffering through a three-day rape orgy that left her an agoraphobic and recluse for years thereafter. Joey had planned to be a microbiologist, but being pledged to his uncle in return for Deirdre's rescue, he resigned himself to following whatever course of education the old man saw fit.

It was then that Tess made her plea to their great uncle. She offered herself instead of her brother, offered her allegiance and loyalty, and her future. She did it because she owed Joey her life. He had caught the slugs that would have killed her. Now it was her turn. She also felt attracted to a life in the DiRosa organization. The power, the wealth, the thrill, all that seemed like the life she wanted to lead. That was her real reason to enter the martial arts. That was why she tended to hang with the qualified men on family holidays, picking up their language and trying to fit in.

She had no regrets. Felix would follow Don Vincente, and she would be his loyal sidekick. She and Felix were great friends anyway. She suspected that to be part of the innermost circle of the DiRosa organization she would have to make her bones one day, to be the hammer during a hit. She was uncertain how that would play out. She hoped that she would not chicken out.

She never learned the real facts about it, but she strongly suspected that her brother had gone through this grim initiation six years before. The dealers who had abducted Deirdre disappeared off the face of the earth after the ransom drop, and their bodies were recovered four years later near the Mexican border. Joey had disappeared during the night after Deirdre's rescue, and when he returned the next morning, he was shaky and pale. For days, Tess slept in his bed to hold him and to give him comfort. He never talked about that night, and Tess never asked him, but she was certain that it was he who put two rounds each into the heads of the two rapists. It was also obvious from the respect senior family members showed him afterwards that he had done so a bella figura, like a true DiRosa.

Tess was curious whether Deirdre knew. Her sister-in-law had been a sheltered girl and shy, the original Miss Goody Two-Shoes. Somehow, Tess could not see how she could deal with the truth. Then again, it was right after the bodies of her rapists had been recovered from the desert sand, when she flew down to Texas to view the corpses. It must have been quite a scene. From what Tess heard later, shy, soft-spoken Deirdre had called the mummified cadavers every bad name in the book, and she even spit on their shriveled-up genitals. Tess had a hunch that Deirdre had learned about Joey's role. Only weeks later, the two were back together, and the entire family had to fly down to Las Vegas where an impromptu wedding was held.

All that would have been impossible had her uncle held Joey to their bargain, and Tess felt good about freeing her brother from that obligation.

Lifting up her hand she saw that her fingertips were starting to wrinkle up, and with a sigh, she switched off the jets and stood up. With quick, precise movements she dried herself and put on her pajamas. She covered the Jacuzzi and went upstairs where she vegged out on the big sofa watching a re-run of an old movie. During a commercial she got up and prepared a cup of hot chocolate, and then she fell asleep and never woke up before the morning.

The sofa was comfortable, and Tess felt no ill effects from falling asleep in the living room. In the kitchen she started the coffee maker and went upstairs to repair her hair. She kept it in two wiry, black braids most of the time, and this day was no different. Once she was dressed, she had a bagel with her coffee before she hopped into her Mini Cooper for the drive to her great uncle's place. This was where she spent most of her weekends. Even when she had to study, she often did that somewhere in Vincent Di Rosa's large mansion.

The old man received her in his study and she gave him an affectionate hug and kiss.

"Good morning, Uncle Vincent!" she beamed.

"Ah, Teresa, how is my little flower?" Uncle Vincent smiled back.

His voice was still strong for one so old, and his body was thin but erect.

"I received the First Dan yesterday."

He smiled politely. The martial arts were not something in which he took much interest.

"You must be proud of yourself, Teresa. I know that I am. To think how Joseph had to push you around in a wheelchair back then… You have come a long way. So, you will start your internship with Maureen next week?"

"Yes. I'm looking forward to seeing her in action," Tess grinned.

"Learn from her, Teresa. Here is a woman who made her way against all odds."

"Hey, I know that. We're really good friends. So, what's up today?"

"Nothing, Teresa. Just a weekend spent in peace. Felix is in San Francisco, but Gabriella will come over with the children."

"Cool. What's up in San Francisco?"

"Felix and Peter will sign a distribution deal with a local drug store chain. They want a franchise deal with Certus."

"Oh," Tess uttered not even trying to mask her disinterest.

"Teresa, do you have any idea how much Certus added to our bottom line last year? Forty-two million dollars. Legal earnings. We could run all the sports betting in Pennsylvania and make half as much. We could run all the brothels and make only a fraction of 42 million. We could deal cocaine, heroin, and crack, and perhaps make that much money, but at what risk? Teresa, when my father ran the family business, he was in all those illicit businesses because there was no other way for him. He was Italian, he spoke with a funny accent, and he was a Catholic. Nobody would deal with him in the respectable world. We don't have to do that anymore. We make a far better living doing legal business. In less than two years, the rest of the old business will be sold, and you and Felix can live the American Dream and be rich."

"Two years? Wait! It'll take me three years to get my Juris Doctor."

"Yes, of course. By then, we will be one-hundred percent legal."

"But I thought …"

"I know what you thought, Teresa. When you offered to assume Joseph's obligation, you were prepared to become a true DiRosa of the old times. We don't have use for that anymore. We need lawyers and MBAs, engineers and IT managers. Teresa, I release you from all obligations. I never planned to take your brother from his chosen path anyway. If you really want to please me, follow your own ideals. Joseph will be our first professor. Perhaps, you will be the first judge in our family. Or perhaps you will be a partner in an old law firm. Who can know that? It is time for us to arrive in the middle of our society."

"But why?"

"Teresa, I have been working hard for over thirty-five years to make the DiRosa family legal. I did not intend for Felix to become part of the business, but his father died too young, and I needed Felix for the transition. You and Joseph, you can be free from that. It is not a good life. The risks are too high, what with all the gavones of the world now coming to our country. And then the government with their computers and search programs. Who can evade them in the long run? I saw the writing on the wall when those first personal computers came along. Do you really think that the government only wants to catch terrorists with their databases? Think of how many of our friends were arrested and even jailed in the last years! It has become too risky."

Tess was stunned. "So we're folding up?"

"No, Teresa. We are completing the transition. Di Rosa Security will remain active to protect us, but all in a legal framework. There will be no regime anymore, just professional body guards. Felix will be running the companies, but he will need people he can rely on. That is where you will come in. You'll be a lawyer, but you're a Di Rosa and we can trust you."

Tess nodded mutely. A part of her was relieved, but a part was disappointed too.

"How will the committee react to this?" she asked.

"The committee is not what it used to be. They're all businessmen these days. They all want their children to live normal lives. Tomaso Corvone will run for Congress next year. Ricardo Sylvano, Luca's son, is a Federal Judge. They are all shutting down their old businesses. Of course, there are those who are opposed to change. Without our political support, they will not last. The Feds will pick them up one after the other, and we don't want to be near them when that happens."

"So I'll be Felix's lawyer?"

"You can be whatever you want. Find your true vocation, like Joseph did. Find a nice man, too. Or a woman."

Tess blushed. "I'm not …"

"Teresa, find whoever will make you happy. I am not a bigot. I want you to stop pushing people away. You will not live a life outside society. You can be normal."

Tess nodded. She was flustered. How had the old man found out? She had experimented a little in recent months, going out with a few women, enjoying the change of pace. She'd had four boyfriends so far, and each had proved to be a jerk in the end.

Ray Alvarez, a fellow student at Benjamin Franklin Highschool, had freaked when she told him how Joey and she used their basement whirlpool and steam bath in the nude together, calling that perverse. She'd sent him packing that very night and never talked to him again. Next came a shy senior, David Warden, who dumped Tess when his parents found out he was dating a Catholic girl (they were militant atheists). Ronald Porter had taken her to the Senior Prom. That one ended when he took her to an after-prom party in a hotel suite where he and his buddies tried to stage an orgy. Tess actually had to dislocate his shoulder to get out of the suite. It took a full day for Tess to convince her great uncle not to organize some unpleasant accident for Ronald.

The last in line had been Evan Granger III., son of Evan Granger II., now a former member of the State Assembly. When the elder Granger told his son to break off any relationship with the mob princess, Tess used Felix's contacts to dig up enough dirt about Granger that he had to resign. That had been in her sophomore year at Penn, and for the next two years she had kept to herself, except for some clandestine forays into Philadelphia's gay and lesbian community. Some of the sex had been better than anything she'd had with men, but she was still undecided where her preference lay.

"I get it. We’re going to be fully legit. I have to think about this, Uncle Vince. I don’t know if I’m cut out to be a corporate legal eagle."

"Do whatever you want, Theresa. We will always support you."

Tess snorted. "What if I want to be a Fed?" she challenged him.

"Then you will be great at it," the old man answered with a smile.

Tess shook her head and grinned. "As if they’d take me. Besides, that would be too weird."

For the next three hours, Tess was up in her room on the second floor trying to study, but her mind was wandering. Her plans certainly had taken a hit. Not that she could not understand Uncle Vincent’s reasoning. He was right when he spoke about modern surveillance techniques. Felix had also spoken about that a few weeks ago. His IT people had discovered Trojan horses in almost every computer at the corporate headquarters. Nobody knew what they were capable of, but fortunately Felix never used electronic communications for the shadier aspects of the DiRosa business. Whoever had planted the malware would be disappointed. Yet, it was a writing on the wall. The federal agencies could get away with everything these days if they claimed it was counter-terrorist surveillance.

—————

On Monday morning, a rested but slightly unsettled Tess showed up in the hallowed halls of Stansfield, Lipton & Croft, Esquires, one of the oldest and most prestigious law firms in Philadelphia. She had interned there before, but now she would spend eight weeks working for Maureen Darling.

Maureen greeted her with a hug and introduced her to her office staff, two paralegals and two secretaries. Of course, everybody knew that she was the grandniece of Vincent DiRosa and to be treated with caution. Rumor had it that she could be temperamental and not averse to physical confrontations when provoked. Tess gave them all a friendly smile and expressed her hope that she would not be in the way too much.

After that, she was paired with a paralegal, Jennifer Holmgren, for orientation. She ended up doing research with Jennifer for the whole day, only interrupted by a brief lunch at a deli shop across the street. During lunch she learned a bit more about the young woman. She was second generation Swedish-American, single, had graduated two years ago, and was saving her salary to attend law school. She had a sunny disposition in spite of her boring job, and she was a glass-half-full type through and through.

Jennifer also triggered Tess's gaydar. It was the way she checked out women entering the deli while ignoring even the cutest guys, but also how she blushed when her eyes met with Tess’s. They spoke little about themselves, but Tess had the impression that Jennifer had already gathered all the information about the DiRosa family.

Taken together, the day had not been not quite the drudgery Tess had feared when she poked her head into Maureen’s office to say good night to her boss.

"Hey, I’m done for the day according to Jennifer, unless there is something you have for me?"

Maureen gave her a smile. "You made a good impression on everybody. They were a bit afraid of you."

"My rep or Uncle Vince’s?"

"Mostly yours," Maureen laughed. "Try not to bust any heads this year."

"Nah," Tess shook her head. "Somebody gets frisky, I’ll simply report him to you."

"Could be a her too," Maureen gave back.

"Nah, Jennifer is obvious, but she’s much too nice a person to get grabby."

"You get along?"

Tess smiled and nodded. "I learned a lot from her today. We also had lunch. We’re cool."

"Good to hear. She’s an absolute asset for us. Pity that she’ll head for law school next year. Maybe we can recruit her back when she’s finished."

Tess shrugged. "Do like Uncle Vince. Offer her financial assistance in return for a commitment to return."

Maureen nodded. "That’s worth a thought. Anyway, Joey and Deirdre will take Carla over the weekend. Numi can get off work too, so we’ll hit a club Saturday night. Wanna tag along?"

Numi N’Gomo, Maureen’s life partner, was a police sergeant, second generation African American, and an easygoing person. Tess had joined them on more than one occasion, experimenting a little bit herself when opportunities knocked.

Tess thought only briefly. "Hell, why not? I can use some distraction."

"Something bothering you?"

Tess shrugged. "You were right. The DiRosa family is fully legit now. They want me as a lawyer."

Maureen smiled sympathetically. "No Martello Numero Uno job for you?"

"Crap, just a boring corporate lawyer job. No offense, but who’d want to be a corporate lawyer?"

"Not me, for sure," Maureen laughed.

"I didn’t figure you as one. Crap! Maybe I’ll apply with the Feds, just to piss off the family."

Maureen laughed brightly. "That would stir up things for sure. ‘Hi, I’m Special Agent DiRosa of the anti-racketeering task force!’ That’ll cause a snort or two!"

Tess had to laugh at this. "Yeah, that would be weird."

"Tess, seriously, you could also look into the other Federal agencies, like NSA, ATF, DEA or Secret Service. I used to know some people at the local DEA office. Maybe I could sound them out?"

"Maybe. Maybe I’ll get over my mad and become a corporate drone. Anyway, I better leave. I’m gonna vent my anger on some poor sand bag. Maybe it’ll help."

Maureen was cool, Tess decided. Perhaps it was time for her to look into her options. She had graduated from Penn with a criminal law focus in her degree. She had options.

2 - Eileen

The Tulips was the oldest lesbian club in Philadelphia. Tess had been there a couple of times, mostly with Maureen and Numi, and she liked the atmosphere. Just like straight women, lesbian women come in all shapes and persuasions, from shy, bookish romantics to brash, loud bull dykes. Being there with Maureen and even more so with Numi had kept Tess from being confronted with the more aggressive patrons since most in the community knew that Numi was a cop.

This evening was no different. Tess was sitting with her friends, enjoying the music and watching people. She was not looking for a one night stand, nor for a committed relationship. She just wanted to have some fun time with her friends.

Watching the other patrons, she noticed a rather butch-looking blonde of middling age crossing the dance floor, leading a skinny young girl by a dog leash. This was not too uncommon at the Tulips where dommes often paraded their pets for everybody to see. What made Tess look more closely was a barely covered black eye the young girl sported and bruises of varying age on her arms. Being in the martial arts, Tess knew about bruises, but the young girl did not strike her as being a fighter. She nudged Numi.

"See the dog face over there? She must be beating up her pet."

Numi looked and nodded. "Fuck! That's Mona. She's calling herself Mistress Mona and gets off on bullying people and beating up on her pets. I thought they'd banned her from the Tulips."

"She's trouble?"

Numi nodded. "When she's drunk, she gets mean, and she's often drunk. Karen got into a tiff with her, and they both got banned for a half year."

Karen had been Maureen's partner and, as Joey had joked, Deirdre's stepfather, until she was killed by the two drug dealers who had then kidnapped Deirdre for the violent rape orgy.

Tess watched the woman and her pet as she dragged her roughly by the leash and she shook her head in disgust. Mona noticed and swaggered over.

"You got a problem, bitch?"

"Yeah, there's this ugly fat cow blocking my view," Tess drawled recklessly.

"Oh, my! You are so going to be sorry," Mona grinned. "Girly, I'm gonna teach you!"

"She's with me. Leave her alone," Numi interfered.

"Fuck you, cop bitch! You think you can scare me? You wouldn't dare raising a stink. They'd drum your dyke ass off the force for good. Your little girlfriend will just have to learn to be polite."

"Don't sweat it, Numi," Tess shrugged. "The fat cow is all bark and no bite."

"Am I, little bitch? I'm gonna give your pretty face some color, like black and blue! I'm gonna …"

"Bla, bla, bla!" Tess mocked the woman. The week's frustrations had been piling up, and Tess was spoiling for a good fight to let off some steam. "You gonna talk all evening, Dog Face?"

"That's it!" Mona snarled, jumping at the sitting Tess.

Tess's right leg shot up, hitting the advancing woman's knee hard. Mona stumbled for a moment, long enough for Tess to move up and out of the charging woman's path.

"That's all you got? Have enough already? Got a bad owie?"

"You fuckin' bitch!" Mona hissed, advancing on Tess. "I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna…"

That was as far as she got. Tess whirled around and stopped the attack with Ushiro Geri Kekomi, a straight mule kick that hit Mona's midsection heel first and catapulted her back by six feet, landing her on her ass, wheezing and gasping for air. Sometimes, old school Karate was useful.

The music stopped in this moment and somebody switched on the ceiling lights. People were staring at the two women.

"Does it hurt?" Tess teased the older woman. "I thought you'd teach me a lesson?"

Mona struggled to her feet. "You're dead, bitch!" She took a deep breath. "You're dead!"

Then she launched herself at Tess who, switching styles from old school Karate to Aikido, caught the arm of the attacking woman, accelerated the momentum of the charge, and then yanked the arm back. Mona spent a fraction of a second suspended in mid-air before she crashed heavily to the floor. Tess stepped back.

"We can play this game all evening," she told the wheezing woman. "I won't even break a sweat putting you in the hospital. Now, are you going to behave?"

"I'm… I'm going…"

"You're going nothing," a tall woman spoke up. It was Lola, the manager, and she held a wooden baseball bat. "You're out. Take your little pet, get your ass outta here and never show your face again!"

"That bitch…"

"Shut up! You attacked her. I saw it. You attacked her and she wiped the floor with you. I'm even gonna offer her a drink on the house. You, out!"

"Please, I don't want to go with her!" a panicky voice squeaked. Tess looked and there was Mona's pet, wringing her hands and looking scared shitless. "She's gonna take it out on me. Please, don't make me go with her!"

Tess cast a murderous glance at the woman on the floor before she turned to the young woman.

"What's your name?"

"Eileen," the pet whispered.

"You wanna leave her?"

A nod was the answer. Tess gave her an encouraging smile.

"Stay for now. We'll talk some later. As for Dog Face," Tess turned and fixated Mona, "you better not come near me or her again. Capiche?"

Mona was on her knees by now. "I'm gonna find you. You bet I will. And then I’ll …"

"Yeah, yeah, you have us scared shitless. Get lost, you fat wimp!"

The manager was tapping the bat against her open hand for emphasis, and Mona obviously decided to cut her losses and limped towards the exit. Tess gave Numi and Maureen a shrug.

"Sorry."

Maureen shrugged right back. "She needed it. Now, what about Eileen?"

Tess looked at the young woman who was still standing in front of their table wringing her hands.

"Hey, why don't you sit down and tell us what's happened with you and Dog Face?" Tess invited her.

Eileen sat on the edge of a chair casting fearful glances at the three older women.

"How old are you, Sweetie?" Maureen asked gently.

"Ei… eighteen, since last week. You're not going to send me back to m-my p-parents, are you?"

Maureen took a sharp breath, but Numi put a hand on the girl's arm.

"If you're over eighteen, nobody can send you anywhere. I'm a police officer. Maureen here is a very good lawyer, and Tess … well, she can kick ass like nobody's business. Let us help you. Just tell us your story. Wait! How about something to drink? Fruit juice, coke or a coffee?"

"I'd like an orange juice," Eileen admitted. Tess got up and walked over to the bar. The bartender gave her a smile.

"What can I do for you?"

"A glass of OJ and maybe some salt crackers?"

"Coming right away!" the bartender sang out. "Thanks for putting a stop to that bully! I wouldn't have pegged you as a … well, a hard man."

Tess giggled. "I don't think of myself that way. She just pissed me off with her attitude. And she can’t fight for shit."

"You're some sort of ninja?"

Now Tess was laughing brightly. The bartender was about her own age, very slim, with short blonde hair, and small but prominent titties that showed through the white T-shirt. She was cute, and she was obviously just a little bit interested in Tess.

"Nah, just Aikido these days. I did Karate when I was in school, but these days I'm also into the Wushu disciplines."

"Huh. I had a self defense class two years ago, but they mostly taught us how to fall properly. If some guy's after me, the last thing on my mind is falling."

"But that's the time-honored way to respond to a bad guy. The girl always stumbles trying to escape and then tries to crawl away," Tess snickered.

"Do you, like, teach that stuff?"

"Yeah, I teach Aikido and Wing-Tsun, that's a Chinese fighting style. It's more suitable for women than Karate. Interested?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I'll be off at 3. Maybe we could go someplace and you can show me some stuff?"

That was blatant enough, and Tess laughed. "I don't want to disappoint, but I'm here with friends and …"

"Bi-curious? Maybe I can also teach you something?"

"You're not exactly a wall flower, are you?"

"Nope. I'm a straight shooter, and I wouldn't work here if I weren't into chicks. You?"

"Tried both sides of the fence. Not completely happy with either," Tess shrugged.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Wanna hang out after I get off my shift?"

"And practice self defense?"

"Or maybe explore your options?"

Tess had to smile. "What's your name anyway?"

"Lisa."

"Well, Lisa, I'm Tess and you've got yourself a date. Gimme that OJ now and maybe your cell number."

This was a crazy evening, Tess reflected carrying the juice back to the table.

"Here you go, Eileen. Have you eaten anything lately?"

Maureen shook her head. "We've been through this already. Once she finishes the juice, we're outta here and to some place where we can eat. That … that fat bitch hasn't given her anything to eat in two days!"

"Makes me almost hope she's waiting for us outside," Tess grumbled and Eileen had a frightened look on her face. "Don't worry. I can take her any day. On the other hand …"

She fished out her cell phone, a prepaid burner phone purchased by somebody who made a nice living buying and registering phones in his name. Speed dial had her connected with the night manager at DiRosa Security.

"Enzo, this is Princess 1. I'm at the Tulips bar — Yeah, the dyke bar — Ha-ha! — Yeah, get over it. Listen, I had a brush-up with some bull dyke by the name of Mona. Around five-eight, 200, short blonde hair, bomber jacket. She may be waiting for us outside. Can you get me some back-up? — Sweet! We're a party of four. Thanks! We'll be leaving in about ten." She turned to her companions. "All taken care of. Uncle Fredo will be outside. He's just coming off shift and swinging by."

Maureen looked amused, but Numi shook her head. "He's a lieutenant now. He still needs to moonlight for you guys?"

Tess laughed. "He's got two kids in college and an ex-wife. Go figure!"

Eileen was staring at them. "You guys are all cops?"

Tess laughed. "Nope. I just graduated from college. Maureen is a partner in a very, very prestigious law firm. Numi is the only black sheep here. Oops, bad pun, Numi. Sorry."

Numi N’Gomo was as black as a New Moon night.

"You're looking entirely too smug to be sorry," Numi gave back, wagging her finger. "One day that mouth of yours will get you in trouble."

Tess laughed brightly. "I know. Joey's been telling me that for years. Hasn't happened yet. So, what happens with Eileen? Any friends of her in the city?"

"Tess, she's a runaway from some place called Hornville, Kansas. Her parents are rabid born-agains. That didn't keep her father from abusing her, and since he's a church elder, the preacher got in on the deal as well. She saved some money and when she was seventeen, she ran and ended up in Philly. No place to go, no money, no friends. Mona took her in three months ago."

"Frying pan to fire sort of a deal?" Tess asked.

"You bet. Mona needed a new doormat, and Eileen was it."

"So she needs a safe place to stay," Tess stated. "Any ideas?"

Maureen grinned and smiled. Tess understood and sighed.

"Talked me into it. Listen, Eileen, any way we can verify what you told us? Driver's license, library card, student ID?"

Eileen shrank and shook her head fearfully. She pointed at her skimpy clothing.

"All I have is what Mistr… Mona gave me. My own stuff was stolen last summer."

Tess nodded. "Okay. I'll bite. Maureen, can you get her birth certificate from that place in Kansas so she can get her social security number? Numi, any way you can look up missing person reports from Kansas? I'd hate to get DRS involved in this before we try the official channels."

DRS was DiRosa Security, the home security and private investigation firm of the Di Rosa family. Maureen nodded. Numi also nodded. Tess looked at Eileen and gave her a smile.

"Any last minute corrections or additions to your story before Numi cranks up that big old police computer?"

"I didn't lie, I swear," Eileen said. "Can I really stay with you?"

"Yeah, at least until you're somehow back on your feet and have some meat on your bones. Do you have any other relatives other than your parents?"

"I… I had… have a brother. He went away to the Marines six years ago. He was older."

"Think he'd treat you better than your parents?"

Here, Eileen nodded with emphasis. "My f-father didn't dare to touch me as long as Craig was still at home. Craig was an athlete, tall, and on the football team. He was always my big brother, you know?"

"Yeah, I have one too. Should we perhaps try to find him?"

Eileen nodded hopefully. "He's Craig Andrew O’Leary. He joined the Marines in … wait … 2003."

"Well, let's see if we can find him and if he's on American soil," Numi said. "I have a friend in Quantico. She's a Gunnery Sergeant. Maybe she can find out."

"Okay," Tess nodded. "Let's roll then. The girl needs food."

It took a few moments to collect their stuff and their coats, but then they were ready. Maureen was able to borrow a coat for Eileen from the manager, or rather the lost and found box of the club, for Eileen had only her dress. Before they exited, Tess made another call to DRS. It was routed through to Fredo DiRosa.

"Yeah, come on out," he said. "Everything is clear on this side."

Outside, Fredo was guarding the sidewalk and Tess could see two more DiRosa men flanking their position. They all crossed the street without incident and entered the car parking where Tess's Mini and Maureen's Beemer had been parked. The attendant inspected their tickets and let them in, but the two security people walked ahead to give the cars a visual. This was all routine for the DiRosa operatives.

Nothing suspicious could be found and Tess had Eileen sit in the Mini. Before she drove off, she gave Fredo Mona's name and address, and he promised to find out more about the woman.

Once out in the street, Tess gave the spurs to her little car. She had gone through the same evasive driving courses as the DiRosa body guards, and she made certain that nobody was following them. Eileen was quite obviously a little scared and did not speak a word until they arrived at the house.

With her brother Joey in Baltimore, Tess had the garage for her use. The door opened by remote control and she drove the small car in. Immediately, the garage door closed behind them, and Tess exited the Mini. Hesitantly, Eileen followed suit.

"We're here," Tess announced. "Let's go in and get you settled."

She opened the connecting door into the hallway in the back of the first floor and showed her guest in. They took off their coats and Tess led the girl into the kitchen. Rummaging through the fridge, Tess found eggs, bacon, tomatoes and a clove of garlic. A few minutes later, an omelette was sizzling in a frying pan. Eileen was watching her with some trepidation and Tess realized the reason.

"Look, Eileen. I'm not after you in any way. I'll not beat you, have sex with you or force you to do anything you don't want. I promise, okay? You get to sleep here and eat here. It's on the house and all I'll ever expect is perhaps a 'thank you' at some point. So, can you please relax and enjoy this late night snack with me?"

Now Eileen looked crestfallen.

"Sorry," she whispered. "The last … weeks were b-bad. I can't believe that's over."

"Okay, how about this — you eat, you shower and then I'll show you your room. It can be locked from the inside. I can give you a prepaid cellphone, so you can call Philadelphia's finest if somebody tries to break into the room. How's that?"

Eileen swallowed heavily. "Couldn't I just sleep with you? Then I'd know what … what to do."

Tess shook her head.

"Eileen, that's over! I don't do things that way. Besides, I already have a date tonight. Plus, I'm bi at the most and I don't dig the sub and domme games. I'm going to feed you and let you sleep in peace. Hell, I'll find you some decent clothes tomorrow. Then we'll see what we can do to help you out of your problems. Or would you rather I'd return you to Mona?"

Eileen shook her head frantically. "No, please not! I … I just don't know … how to behave?"

"Okay, girl," Tess sighed. "Let's add finding a shrink for you to the list. You've been messed up by your family and by that asshat Mona, and you need help. Eileen, can you please accept that I will not run your life for you? Can you accept that I don't want any form of payment from you? Can you accept me as a friend?"

Eileen nodded timidly. "I guess so. Thank you. Can you guys really find Craig?"

"If Numi or Maureen can't find out his whereabouts, I'll turn to my folks for help. We may have to wait until you have proper papers. Then you can demand information from the Corps."

"Will that work? The papers I mean?"

"Sure. Freedom of Information Act. That's the least of our worries."

"And my parents won't find out? I mean, Reverend Hellstrøm, he pretty much runs the town. He'll know and tell my father."

"And then what? They'll know that a big law firm in Philadelphia wanted the records. If they think they can get Maureen to reveal your whereabouts, they'll have another think coming. Face it. Your father has no clout in this city, and if he gets annoying, we'll show him the light."

"But all this is going to cost money. How can I ever pay for that?"

"I'm guessing Maureen will do her part pro bono publico. Feeding you for a few weeks won't break my piggy bank either. Don't sweat it. Concentrate on getting over the shit you had to live through. Now sit down and eat. I've got to make a phone call."

Lisa answered after just three rings.

"This is Lisa," she proclaimed.

"Tess. You remember me?"

"God, yes! Thanks for calling. I wasn't sure you'd do it."

"Well, I promised, didn't I? Listen, you're off shift now?"

"Cleaning up, but I can be done in ten minutes. You want me to come over? Where do you live?"

"Powelton," Tess said. She gave Lisa the address. "You could come over. Only you should know that Eileen is staying with me, you know, the girl Mona used for a doormat."

"Is she shacking up with you?" Lisa asked.

"She's getting regular meals, a bed of her own, some new clothes and maybe a health check. She'll have to pitch in with household chores, but I leave anything more to the likes of that Mona bitch."

"Okay with me," Lisa said. "I can be over in maybe 30 minutes. Umh, think I can shower at your place? I smell like a bar rag."

"Sure. Hell, maybe I'll even wash your back. You know, inspect the wares."

"So long as you let me return the favor …" Lisa teased her back. "Okay, let me finish this shit so I can get outta here. I'll see you in thirty!"

They ended the call and Tess saw Eileen looking at her.

"What?"

“You … you have a girlfriend?"

"Nope. I met Lisa at the Tulips tonight. She's the bartender there. So far I like her, but that's about all. Any problem with that?"

Eileen blushed and looked at her feet. "No," she mumbled.

"Look, Eileen. I can offer you a place to sleep, food and other stuff so you can get back on your feet. I can't stop my own life for you. I'll meet friends and I'll have friends over to visit. Next weekend, my brother and his wife will visit, and they'll sleep in his room. They'll have breakfast with us, and we'll go down to the basement to soak in the bubble bath in the evening. You can join us or find your own entertainment, and no sweat off my back really. Just don't expect me to hover over you at all times. You need to grow up and take charge of your life, and it's starting here and now. Can you live with that?"

Eileen blushed even deeper. "I guess I can. Can I ask stuff at least?"

"Sure. I'll even answer if I have a clue. I just don't want you to be my pet. I'm not wired like that. My goal is for you to learn how to stand up for yourself, make your own decisions and stand by them. Now, I don't even know which way you swing. Are you gay, hetero or undecided?"

The tomato color was now a permanent feature in Eileen's face.

"I'm gay I think."

"You think? Or you know?"

"Know. I can’t … Jesus! I can't get off with a guy, okay?"

Tess grinned. "That may just mean you've only dated morons. But you get off with chicks?"

Eileen nodded, but then she looked up and locked eyes with Tess. "I've been with girls and I liked it a lot. With Mona, there was too much hurt and she made me feel dirty. But I like to be with women."

"Okay. We've established that you're gay. See? That wasn't too difficult. Myself I've tried both. I like the physical side of being with a guy, but the guys I've been with so far were either douchebags or pussies. Maybe I'm spoiled. I have this great guy for a brother, and nobody can measure up to him."

"I liked my brother, but he was a bit older and I have no idea how he is today. Maybe he's a dickhead too."

"You'll find out. Now, why don't you go and have a shower? I'll have one too, and when Lisa arrives she can also wash off the Tulips smell. Oh wait, I need to find something for you to wear. I'll dig something up while you get clean.”

3 - For Giggles

Lisa arrived 15 minutes later, basically a minute after Tess was done in the bathroom. She smiled mischievously when she saw Tess in a light blue terry cloth robe.

"I like your thinking," she quipped.

Tess grinned back. "Bathroom's free for you."

"God, yes! Lemme wash off the smell. Oh, hi, Eileen!"

Eileen stood near the stairs wearing much-too-big sweat shorts and a loose hanging muscle shirt. Lisa covered the distance and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Lisa. I'm a bartender at the Tulips. I saw the whole thing. You're done with the bitch?"

Eileen nodded shyly, taking in Lisa's trim figure and butch haircut.

"Y-yes. She's mean. I didn't have anywhere else to go, but Tess said she'll help me."

"Good for you, Kiddo. Say, you're a real cutie. You can do so much better than that fat cow."

"Yeah, like learning to stand on her own feet," Tess budged in. "We'll help her, but I'll not be her sugar-mommy."

Lisa nodded sagely. "Good point. So, will she be part of our little self-defense session tonight?"

Tess shook her head. "I haven't asked her."

Eileen looked her question, so Tess elaborated. "Lisa came here so I'd show her some self-defense moves. I'm sure she just wants to rub her sweaty body against me."

"I'm hurt! I'm not sweaty." Lisa proclaimed with a mock pout. Then she giggled. "But the rest of your idea has potential."

Poor Eileen's eyes ping-ponged between the two young women. "Umh, I don't know. I'm still a bit sore where Mona spanked me tonight."

"Hey, I wasn't hitting on you, Kiddo. You must get over that cow first. Do you dig girls at all?"

Eileen fired up her cheeks again and nodded, looking down at her feet.

"I guess I'm a lesbian," she almost whispered.

"Hey, I'm not judging," Lisa giggled. "Say, Tess, can I have my shower now? I really want to get started on those exercises."

A showered Lisa emerged from the bathroom not ten minutes later, her short hair still wet and slicked against her head. She was wearing a pair of bicycle shorts and a wife beater shirt from a gym bag she'd had in her trunk. Tess had to admire her sinewy slimness. Surprisingly, in spite of her butch appearance, there were no tattoos in evidence, let alone piercings. Tess commented on that and Lisa grinned.

"I'm not going to sling hootch in a dyke bar for the rest of my life. I have a slot at FLETC in the fall."

Tess understood the acronym though Eileen did not.

"Federal law enforcement training center," Lisa explained. "I want to join the Secret Service."

"That's cool," Tess opined. "I get it. Tattoos can be a career block."

"You bet. I doubt that I'll ever get picked for the presidential security detail…"

"Maybe they'd let you play nanny for the kids," Tess needled her.

"Yeah, but even for that they'd frown on ink."

"What? They won't let you have a tear drop tattoo for every assassin you send to the cooler?"

Lisa giggled. "No. Plus, I'm not into that stuff. I don't dig pain, and I don't find ink sexy."

Tess nodded. "I can see where you come from. Not my thing either. So Secret Service? How did you get that idea?"

"I'm a business major. We had a talk by one of their agents, telling us about their real work. You know, catching counterfeiters and such. It sounded much more exciting than being a bean counter, so I applied."

"Good for you. Not to piss you off, but don't they have a minimum size?"

"Not for the agency, but probably for the security details. I'm not that eager to jog alongside the presidential limo anyway."

"You know, maybe I’ll look into it too. Do you have to have a bean counter background?"

"Naw, they’re pretty open. What’s your education?"

"Just finished my criminal law degree at Penn. Criminal law focus."

"Jeez! And you’re some sort of black belt too. They’ll be drooling after you."

"Yeah, well, there are issues that may cool their interest."

"Such as?"

"Doesn’t the name ‘DiRosa’ ring a bell?"

"You mean… for real?"

Tess nodded. "For real. My great-uncle is Vincent DiRosa, and Felix DiRosa is my cousin."

"Shi-it! How come you were so chummy with the cop lady and that top-notch lawyer?"

Tess grinned. "Maureen is my brother’s mother-in-law and Numi is her partner. I’m also interning with Maureen at her firm. She’s the litigating partner."

"And your brother? Is he like a hitman or such?"

Tess shook her head. "Joey’s doing his PhD at Johns Hopkins, in Molecular Genetics. He’s some sort of genius that way. He’s had two papers in Science already, and he’s not even written his dissertation yet."

"That’s good?" Lisa asked.

"It’s what 99.98% of his fellow students would give their left nuts for… or their left ovaries, whatever," Tess giggled.

"Well, it’s going to be interesting to see how they’re going to react if you apply," Lisa grinned.

—————

"What made you decide to apply with us, Miss DiRosa?" Special Agent Mancuso, the elderly lady conducting the interview, asked.

Tess had sent in her application to the Secret Service field office, mostly for giggles, but now, three weeks later was being interviewed already.

"Well, since the Fibbies wouldn’t touch me with a ten-foot pole, I figured I needed to look into the rest of the alphabet soup," Tess replied recklessly.

"I see. Your family, right?"

"Parts of my family more precisely," Tess conceded. She remembered Maureen’s quip. “Still, Special Agent DiRosa of the anti-racketeering task force would be too much, wouldn’t it?"

To her surprise, the interviewing agent grinned at her. "Yeah, that would sound odd. I meant, why law enforcement?"

"You mean with my criminal genes?" Tess shot back.

The agent was not easily fazed. "No, I mean with over 4 million in assets from your trust fund, having interned with Philadelphia’s third-oldest law firm, and having the money and the grades to get accepted at Cornell. Why law enforcement?"

Tess nodded. "Fair enough. I have a cousin who’s a lieutenant in the Philadelphia Police Department. We’re not averse to serving the public. You also know about my martial arts background?"

"Tell me."

"I’m a 1st Dan in Aikido. I’m also a Wing-Tsun adept. That’s a style of Wushu …"

"I used to practice the White Crane style myself," the agent replied calmly. “So, you want action and excitement?"

"That, and a purpose other than making obscene amounts of money from crooked clients. I wasn’t raised by my great-uncle. I was raised by my mother. She taught us what’s right and what’s wrong. Even my great-uncle has a strong moral compass."

Agent Mancuso nodded. "The DiRosa have Sicilian roots?"

"Yes, the family hails from Castelverano."

Mancuso grinned. "You know, a good Secret Service agent on a protective detail and an old style Qualified Man have a lot in common."

"I can see that. They’re both Samurais."

"Precisely, and right now you feel like a Ronin, like a Samurai without a master to serve, right?"

Tess did not flinch. "Pretty much."

"I see. Thank you for coming, Miss DiRosa, and for your candor. We’ll give you an answer in the next four weeks. Any questions on your part?"

Tess shook her head. "I’ve read up on the Service, and what you and your colleagues told me computes."

"Excellent. I hope to see you again, Miss DiRosa!"

"Likewise, Special Agent Mancuso!" Tess answered, holding out her hand.

The lady agent shook it firmly and gave her a smile. Once outside the office, Tess chuckled. ‘Yeah, right!’ she thought. ‘They’re gonna accept a Mob Princess into their lily-white Secret Service! As if!’

She found her car in the visitor parking and drove back to the offices of Stansfield, Lipton & Croft. There was still work to do, and Maureen counted on her. This whole Secret Service thing was a pipe dream anyway.

At her desk, she focussed on the case law research again, looking up previous rulings on the admissibility of searches performed with consent of the suspect’s spouse, and how the cases and rulings differed. It was boring work, and the client for whom she performed that task was a Grade-A slime ball. Still, she reasoned that she worked for Maureen, and Maureen deserved her best effort.

It was uncanny how Maureen picked that moment to call Tess’s extension.

"Hey, Tess! Can you come in for a moment?"

"Sure! Be there in a sec," Tess answered, already standing up.

In Maureen’s office, a huge corner room with wood paneling and real carpets, she plopped down unceremoniously in the visitor’s chair.

"Wassup?" she asked.

"We could finally track down Eileen’s brother. He received an honorable discharge from the Corps two years ago and applied to the Feds. He made it, and he’s currently serving as an arms instructor at Quantico."

"For real? He’s with the FBI, has been for over two years, and he never called and asked for his kid sister?"

"I don’t know. He may have called and just got bullshitted by their parents. How you want to handle this?"

"Have you got his phone number?"

"Only his work phone. You want to call him?"

"Yeah, I think I’ll call him. Did Eileen’s story check out?"

"Numi says she’s listed as missing in that shit hole where she grew up. There’s another angle coming up. That reverend, Hellstrøm, wasn’t quite content with Eileen. He’s also been doing his own daughters. One of them skipped town right after her graduation and went to L.A. to become a porn actress. Even helped her sister escape three years later and stashed her away at Eureka, of all places. Then she had bad luck and died during a boob job, but her friends and her sister teamed up to shoot a documentary about her life and death, and her father didn’t like it at all being featured as a rapist and child molester. He’s suing the producers, and I’m thinking that if Eileen gives an affidavit recounting how he abused her, it might help to sink the bastard in court. It’ll be public record.“

"What’s in it for you?" Tess asked.

"I guess I can’t shake my background as a prosecutor," Maureen smiled. "I just love to nail guys like that."

Tess nodded. "I’ll talk to Eileen and bring her in tomorrow. You plan for a written affidavit or a video deposition?"

"Written. It’s a civil case. He’s suing the producers for damages. An affidavit will serve them best to refute his suit."

"You’re the boss," Tess grinned. "Okay, let’s call the not-so-special Agent O’Leary now!"

The number Numi had found connected them to the main office at Quantico. It took a little re-routing, then some waiting, until Special Agent O’Leary picked up the phone.

"O’Leary!" he fairly barked into the phone.

"Good afternoon, Special Agent. My name is Teresa DiRosa, with Stansfield, Lipton & Croft, Attorneys at Law," Tess provided glibly. "Do you happen to have a sister by the name of Eileen?"

"What do you know of her?" came the sharp answer.

"I’m sorry, is she your sister?" Tess insisted.

"Yes, damn it! What happened to her?"

"I am not at liberty to divulge information about her on the telephone, Special Agent. Miss O’Leary asked us to find you and to establish a contact with you. Are you willing to have contact with her?"

"Of course! She’s my sister. What the Hell …"

"Mr. O’Leary, I believe it best to connect you to Ms Darling. She is a partner at Stansfield, Lipton & Croft, and she is your sister’s attorney of record," Tess interrupted. "Your turn," she mouthed to Maureen and handed her the receiver.

"Hello, Mr. O’Leary. I am Maureen Darling. Ms. O’Leary is my client. My associate informed me that you are willing to contact your sister?"

"Yes, of course! Is she well?"

"I can tell you this much on the telephone that she is not in any danger. She is living with a friend at the moment and her needs are taken care of. She has identified you as the sole relative with whom she wishes to establish contact."

"What did the old bastard do to her?" came a grumble of barely suppressed fury.

"Again, this is for Ms. O’Leary to relay if she so wishes. Our job is to establish contact and if possible, to arrange a first meeting."

"When? Where?"

Maureen looked at Tess who shrugged. "Anytime," she whispered. "Maybe at my place?"

"You sure?" Maureen whispered back.

"I can handle him."

Maureen nodded. "Well, Mr. O’Leary, we can arrange for a meeting tomorrow, perhaps at 6 p.m., in Philadelphia. Are you able to do that?"

"I can hop on my bike right away and be in Philly in under four hours," O’Leary shot back.

"That would be around eightish?" Maureen asked.

"Yeah. I may pick up a ticket or two, but she’s my kid sister."

"All right, my associate agrees. Your sister is living with her. Can you write down the address?"

"Sure. Shoot!"

Maureen gave Tess’s address then, and O’Leary promised to be there by eight. He ended the call and Maureen gave Tess a smirk.

"He’s not fond of his father, that much is a given."

Tess nodded. “It would be neat to get the Feds interested in those assholes.”

—————

Eileen was at once apprehensive and excited over her brother’s visit. Without Tess’s bidding, she started on a rampage over the ground floor, mopping the hardwood floors, clearing away Tess’s accumulated crap from the sofas and tables, and generally bringing kitchen and living room into shipshape. Meanwhile, Tess arranged for surveillance. Felix DiRosa dropped by for a briefing and made certain that the recording devices were working properly. With a Fed, you just never knew. He barely made his getaway before, at seven-forty, the rumble of a motorbike announced Craig O’Leary’s arrival. A quick peek using the front surveillance camera told Tess that the man was riding in style. It was a shiny, red Ducati Multistrada which he placed on the kick stand. Not shabby at all. As he approached the front door, Tess could see that he was tall, but slender, with short dark hair and blue or grey eyes. Then the doorbell rang and Tess opened the door.

"SA O’Leary? May I see some ID?" she asked, giving him a smile. He produced his FBI credentials and held it so that she could read it. "Welcome to the Casa DiRosa! Come in and let me call Eileen. I’m Tess DiRosa. We talked on the phone. Eileen is bunking with me for the moment."

"Thanks, Madam. I sure appreciate your kindness."

"No problem. She’s a good kid. She’s had some rough time though, so please be gentle." She saw him clench his jaw and nodded. "Easy. Hear her out, and then I’ll give you some more background. Have a seat while I get… no need, there she is."

Eileen was entering the entrance hall. Her bruises had all faded away and she had filled out a bit in the four weeks since Tess had kicked Mona’s ass. She looked like your proverbial Irish girl next door, smiling shyly.

"Hey, Craig," she almost whispered.

"Ellie, you look great!" O’Leary smiled, and Tess felt a little rush herself. The man was a serious hunk.

"I’m doing much better now. How have you been?"

"I made it through my enlistment. When I returned home, the old man said you had run away, that you were doing drugs and shit. He was lying, wasn’t he?"

Eileen nodded while her eyes began to brim. "I ran away, yes, but not for drugs. I ran away from him, and from Hellstrøm. They started right after you left for the Marines. Mom said it was like it was, and I should keep my mouth shut, but I ran away after my seventeenth birthday. Rode the Greyhound all the way to Philadelphia to find Aunt Meredith. Well, she had died, and things went to hell."

"They did what?" O’Leary snarled.

Eileen just dropped her head, hunching her shoulders and looking at her feet. Tess interjected.

"They raped her. Eileen is a lesbian, and they pretended to do it to drive the demons out or some shit like that. That Hellstrøm character is some major piece of shit. Maureen, Eileen’s lawyer, says he did his own daughters too. They exposed him in a documentary about his older daughter’s death. He’s suing the producers, but they have documentation."

Eileen raised her tear-streaked face. "Will he win?"

"Maureen didn’t say, but she kinda suggested that you give a sworn affidavit about what he and your dad did to you. You know, give those TV people some more ammunition to sink the bastards in court."

Eileen nodded bravely. "I’ll do it. Somebody’s gotta stop them."

"I’ve a mind to go and do just that," Craig said through gritted teeth.

"Tut-tut, don’t even think like that. However this plays out, you’d be facing jail time, and you’ve got a sister to care for," Tess told him. "Let things play out in court and give Eileen a chance to free herself from her past."

Craig looked at her. "If Eileen is gay, are you and she…?"

Tess shook her head emphatically. "This is not my thing, having a pet I mean. I’m just giving her a leg-up."

"Oh, I'm sorry …"

"No harm done. Some of my best friends are lesbians, and I’ve tried both sides, too, so I'm not offended. Should I make some sandwiches while you guys catch up? You must be hungry."

"That would be welcome, Miss Di Rosa, really. You're very kind."

Tess grinned sardonically. "Surprised?"

Craig blushed a little. "I looked into you and your family."

"Sure. Again, no problem. I had you cased as well. Coke, Sprite, water?"

"Water would be welcome, Miss DiRosa."

"Okay, coming up!"

When Tess returned to the dining table where Eileen and Craig were sitting, bringing a plate of pastrami sandwiches and drinks, Eileen was still recounting her days with Mona, and Tess could see Craig balling his fists. Then Eileen told about her delivery at Tess's hands and how Mona had ended up on her ass, wheezing and cursing. Craig looked at Tess.

"Thanks. You got yourself into danger for my sister and …"

"Don't sweat it," Tess answered. "I had fun cutting the fat cow down to size. What's the use of all that training when you're never able to really kick some ass?" She reached over to a sideboard and handed a file folder to Craig. "I had some intel collected about her. Be my guest."

Craig quickly scanned over the three or four pages of the report. "She's got a rap sheet for aggravated assault, huh? Narcotics charges, too, but pled it down. Nasty customer. You better be careful."

Tess shrugged. "I can take her. After hearing from Eileen what she did to her, I'm almost hoping for her to come back for a second helping."

"She might be armed the next time."

"That should give me cause to do her some real harm," Tess threw back. "You're right though. I'm having some friends keeping tabs on her."

All through this, Craig had polished off two of the sandwiches while Eileen was still nibbling on her first.

"So what are your plans, Eileen's and yours, I mean?"

Tess shrugged. "I'm helping her to get on her own two feet, but she's got to find out where she wants to go."

Eileen blushed. "I'm trying to get my GED, but I missed too much of school over the years. Tess downloaded some programs that I can use to study. College is likely out of the question. I've got no money, and you are probably not flush with it either."

Craig nodded sadly. "I've got some money stashed away, but that won't pay for a four-year degree."

"You know, Eileen, I'm thinking, Lisa will go and attend FLETC next month. That means, there's an open bartender job at the Tulips. You know that Lola runs a tight ship. There won't be any trouble. Lisa could train you while she's still here, and you could work evenings, save some money, get your GED and next year find a nice, cheap college. With the barkeeper experience, you can always find jobs in college towns or seaside resorts."

Eileen looked almost panicky at first, but then she calmed down and nodded.

"That might be an option. You think Lola might let me work there?"

"Why not? Tell you what, I'll ask Lisa to test the waters for you. She likes you and will help."

"Will that be safe for Eileen, I mean, with that Mona bitch around?"

"She's banned for life from the Tulips. But you may be right. She might waylay Eileen after hours. Lemme check with my cousin Peter. He runs the Certus Drugstores. Eileen could start there, maybe in a pharmacy section, stocking shelves. Those are always close to the cash registers, and there's a rent-a-thug hanging around 24/7. How's that sound, Eileen?"

"Won't I need a high school degree?"

"Not for stacking shelves, but a GED will be helpful to maybe run the registers after a while. I'll ask."

"That would be a start," Craig nodded. "Of course, I'll chip in for your living expenses and for stuff you'll need. If things don't work out here, you can always move in with me. I mean, my apartment in Triangle is small, but there's a second bedroom. I might even get you into National University in Quantico. I've attended online classes there during my hitch and finished my bachelor's afterwards. You'd count as a dependent. Tuition is really affordable for vets and their families."

"You'd want me to l-live with you?" Eileen asked.

"Ellie, you're my kid sister. I'll take care of you if you want. If you'd rather stay here in Philly, I'll still try to help you as much I can. It's your choice."

"Thanks. I need to think about that. I like the idea of being with you again, but Tess has been my savior and my rock these last weeks, and I'd hate to be ungrateful."

"Hey, didn't I tell you I want you to make your own decisions?" Tess answered quickly. "Your brother has a good idea there. You could focus on getting an education in a safe environment. Now, if you want to stay here and work your way through community college, that room can be yours for a year or two. I just don't know where I'll be in a few months. I may be off to Ithaca to get a JD, or maybe I'll be off to FLETC myself."

Craig looked up in surprise. "You want to become a LEO?"

Tess grinned. "Funny, huh? Think of it: a DiRosa on the anti-racketeering task force. That would be a hoot! Don't worry. I applied with Homeland, the Joggers to be precise.."

"Secret Service, huh? Not a bad idea," Craig acknowledged. "But you know, they do most of their work looking for counterfeiters and such."

"You worked with them?"

"Nah, they sent me straight to Quantico as an instructor. I'm trying to get into a field office doing real FBI work. How did you get the idea to join the Secret Service?"

"Well, a good friend told me about it, and I thought, why not? It sure sounds more exciting than Law School and a life as corporate lawyer for my great uncle. Working with a firm like Stansfield is also not my idea of the future. I want some excitement and action."

"Tess is a Black Belt," Eileen added her 5 cents. "She's seriously into martial arts."

Craig looked at Tess with appreciation. "That's impressive."

"Again, it's fun, and it got me on my feet again after… well, after my parents' murder."

Craig nodded silently, obviously knowing about that.

Just then, a soft chime sounded and the room lights pulsed ever so softly. In the fraction of a second, Tess was up from her chair and activated a monitor.

"We've got visitors," she said casually. "Why, Craig, wouldn't you like to meet Mona? She's outside with two helpers. Wait! Now that's funny. I know those two clowns. Mike Helmont and Paul Burrows! Philly sure is a small place."

"How do you know them," Craig inquired.

"They were classmates of my brother and sister in law. They tried to get her drugged up at a party, but my brother got between them and Deirdre. That's how the two got together. They dropped out after the fuzz found drugs and roofies in their lockers at school."

"Shouldn't you call the cops?"

Tess weighed the situation, but then she shrugged. "Let's hear what they plan first."

She dialed up the volume of what had to be an intercom.

"… your shit together! Just ring and say 'Parcel delivery!'. Soon as the door opens, we all rush in. You get whatever you can pinch from the house, I'll get the bitch and the little cunt."

Tess brightened the screen, allowing them to see clearer. Paul Burrows was wearing some sort of khaki delivery service uniform. Mona was holding a metal pipe. Mike Helmont was staying behind his two allies, clearly uncomfortable.

"You sure there won't be trouble?"

"Naw, I looked her up. She's an orphan, lives alone. Some Spaghetti name, De Rosa or De La Rose, or some such. Piece of cake!"

"DiRosa? Are you fucking nuts?" Helmont almost screamed.

"Sshh! Shut your trap, you moron!" Mona hissed. "What's with you?"

"Paul, I'm out!" Helmont said, holding up his hands and already retreating away from the door.

Burrows nodded. "Sorry, no will do, Mona. We spent weeks in the fucking hospital just for busting up a car that belonged to a Di Rosa cousin. This is too hot for us. You better get outta here, too." He, too, retreated from the door.

"You chickenshit assholes! Stay! You promised!"

"You're on your own. I'm not digging my own grave. We're talking the Mob here."

"Aw, come on! Mob? She's just some college chick that learned some moves in a fucking Kung Fu school."

"Yeah, but she busted you good."

"Not this time! This time, she pays!"

Inside, Tess was chuckling. "Should I just open the door and shout 'Boo!'," she asked.

"That bitch carries some metal pipe."

"Yeah, I didn't plan to do this without some hardware myself," Tess answered. "You carry any heat?"

Craig shook his head. "Nah, not when I'm riding my bike. Have you any weapons?"

Tess chuckled again and opened an armoire in the entrance hall, retrieving her katana in its lacquered sheath. "I believe I can handle any sort of pipe, but it'll be messy, and the clean-up will be a bitch."

"Cops?" Craig suggested again, and Tess nodded reluctantly.

Mike and Paul were gone by now, but Mona was still standing in front of the door, seemingly conflicted. In the end, Tess relented. To carve up Mona with the katana was tempting, but to do that with an FBI agent in presence would be stupid. She grabbed her phone.

"Hi, my name is DiRosa, Teresa DiRosa, 1820 Baring. There's somebody outside my front door. It looks like she's carrying a metal pipe, and she's trying to hide. — Yes, that's correct. — Yes, I'll wait. — No, we do not have firearms in the house. My roommate says, it's her former girlfriend, and she's kinda violent when she's drunk. — Thank you!"

"They're sending a patrol car. What say we make sure she doesn't leave?"

"How?"

"Can you handle a Taser?"

Craig nodded. "Sure!"

"Top drawer! Get it charged, and when you are ready, I'll yank the door open. When she charges in, you can drop her."

Craig found the Taser gun and handled it like a pro. Well, he was a weapons instructor.

"Ready for some fun?" she asked her visitor.

Craig gave her a measured nod, and Tess yanked the door open.

"Hey, Dog Face! How nice of you to drop by. You get off on getting beaten up?"

Mona was surprised at first, but now she brandished the steel pipe. It was two feet long and an inch in diameter, and in competent hands it was a threat. Tess retreated away from the door.

"Whoa! Stay outta my house, you hear!" she demanded, suppressing a grin. If Mona entered now, she was an armed intruder, and all bets were off. Pennsylvania law pretty much allowed Tess anything up to lethal force to fight an armed assailant in her home.

"Not so brave anymore, huh, bitch? I’m gonna break all your fucking bones and then I’m gonna stick this in your cunt!" Mona threatened, already crossing the door and following Tess into the hall.

"Federal Agent! Drop your weapon!" Craig shouted.

Mona froze for a second, but then she hurled the iron at Craig and charged at Tess. This was too precious! Taking up the charging woman’s momentum, Tess spun around, a tight grip on Mona’s wrist. Then she hip-bumped her sharply and swept her feet away from under her. The heavyset woman landed on the floor face-down. With an evil laugh, Tess twisted the arm and knelt on Mona’s back keeping her immobilized in a cruel hold.

Only then did Tess check on Eileen’s brother. Craig was sitting on the floor, too, a bleeding cut on his left cheek, where the iron pipe had hit him.

"Shit! Are you okay?"

"Not really," he answered with a grimace. "You have any restraints for her?"

"Nah! I figure on holding her like this until the cavalry arrives. You wanna read her the rights?"

Craig got up on his feet. "What’s her last name?"

"Simpson," came Eileen’s answer.

"Mona Simpson, you are under arrest for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, everything you say can be held against you in a federal court of law. You have the right to an attorney of your choosing. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will assign a public defender for you. Did you understand these rights as I explained them to you?"

Mona did not answer, and Tess used a little torque on the arm, making her scream.

"Special Agent O’Leary wants an answer, Dog Face!"

"Yes, yes, I understand! You’re breaking my arm!"

"Nah, I’m just going to dislocate your shoulder if you keep struggling," Tess answered easily. "Hold still, or I’ll hurt you, you stupid cunt!"

Just then, a siren could be heard from outside, and a minute later, two of Philly’s Finest entered the house, weapons drawn. Craig held up his badge.

"FBI, Special Agent O’Leary! The woman on the floor entered this house forcibly and attacked us with an iron pipe."

"You’re bleeding, Agent. You want an ambulance?"

"Yeah, that would be good," Craig admitted. "Can you secure the prisoner?"

"Sure thing, Agent. Miss Di Rosa, can you hold her for another sec?"

"No sweat, officer," Tess grinned. "My hold is causing her some pain, so take your sweet time."

The officer activated his shoulder mike and called dispatch.

"Corporal Pantani, badge number 3895. We have an unlawful entry, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault on a Federal Agent. We need an ambulance for the injured agent and a crime scene unit. The female perp was overwhelmed by the home owner and is in custody. Probationary patrolman Gallagher, badge number 2237, is also on the scene. She will handle the suspect."

"10-20," Tess heard. "Sergeant Booker will join you on the scene."

Pantani nodded and gave Tess a shrug. "We could‘ve handled good old Mona just fine, but with your last name, the Sergeant gets antsy." He looked at his partner. "Gallagher, cuff her. Be careful; she‘s got quite a rap sheet, mostly assault."

"Oh, she‘ll be peaceful, won‘t you, Mona-Baby?" Tess asked the prone woman, just upping the torque on her shoulder.

"Get that crazy bitch off of me, cop-bitch! She‘s … OW!"

"Better be polite, Dog Face! I can feel you struggling. I may just press past the breaking point when I get scared, capiche!" Tess hissed. "Sorry, Officer Gallagher, for the uncouth way you were addressed by this garbage."

Officer Gallagher was quite young, and she looked at the corporal for guidance. A rookie, no doubt.

"Go on, cuff her. I‘m sure Miss DiRosa will keep her restrained."

The young cop flipped the cuffs around Mona‘s left wrist first, then around the right, allowing Tess to lift her hold. Mona tried to roll on her back immediately, but she had no leverage, and Gallagher handled her easily.

"This isn‘t over, bitch! I‘ll find you, and next time I‘m gonna kill you! You hear? I‘m gonna fucking kill you!"

"Duly noted, Simpson," Pantani said evenly, shaking his head. "I‘m gonna make a note of this in my arrest report, too. You‘re not very smart, are you? Threatening Vince DiRosa‘s grandniece? You must have some sort of death wish."

"Who the fuck is Vince DiRosa?"

Tess gave Craig O‘Leary a wink before she chimed in. "Ever heard of the Olympic massacre, Dog Face? Those assholes killed my parents. A week later, the whole Kaçani family was wiped out, and once a year, my brother and I take a joint piss on their graves. Your ass buddies warned you before they split, but you‘re too fucking stupid to take a hint. Well, dig your own grave, why don‘t you! I‘m sure Eileen will enjoy a good, therapeutic piss on it, too."

Pantani chuckled. "Let‘s load Miss Einstein here into the shop, Gallagher. No need for her to screw up any further."

The two cops hauled Mona outside to load her into the back of the cruiser, and Tess looked at Craig, who was under Eileen‘s care who held an ice pack on his cheek.

"How‘s your face?"

"Still hurting, of course. I‘ve been hurt worse; doesn‘t mean I enjoy it. Will you confirm that I ID‘d myself before she threw the pipe?"

"Sure thing! That and the home invasion attempt will net her three years minimum. The best is that she‘ll face charges both federal and local, so it‘ll be consecutive terms."

"Listen, umh, Tess? Your family won‘t do anything stupid?"

Tess shook her head. "Nothing overt. My great uncle finished the transition into full legality many years ago. Still, with a congenial personality like Mona‘s, and a complete lack of real fighting skills, she won‘t last a year in Club Fed."

"Very likely," Craig sighed. "So, what is the plan now, I mean for Eileen?"

Tess shrugged. "She can pick. I‘m not making a decision for her, not even a suggestion. I like her, so she can stay here, but if she‘d rather move to the Carolinas with you, I‘ll support her for as much as she needs."

They both looked at Eileen who blushed.

"If it‘s all right, I‘d like to stay in Philly. I‘m a little worried about people‘s attitude on a Marine base. Plus, you want to get a transfer to a — field office? — and that would clash with any college plans I may have down there."

Craig nodded and exhaled. "You‘ll certainly find easier acceptance here in a big city. Still, Ellie, I‘ll help you as much as I can, and we‘ll do the family holidays together, no matter what. Okay?"

Eileen nodded. "I‘d love that."

4 - Surprise!

A week later, Eileen indeed started to train as a bartender/barista at the Tulips, under Lisa’s tutoring. Lisa would go to FLETC in a month, enough time for her to give Eileen a thorough introduction. Tess arranged for a reliable cabbie to pick Eileen up after closing time, and often, Lisa would come along, to join Tess in her bed. There were few romantic feelings between the two women, but they liked each other and were compatible under the sheets. With Lisa leaving soon, there was a definitive expiration date, but both appreciated a fuck buddy to bridge the time until fall.

Tess’s internship at Maureen’s firm was also coming to an end, but she still had no idea what to do in the fall. She had lined up some teaching at her dojo for the fall, to keep the rust away, and Felix had grudgingly agreed to let Tess work a few low level details for Di Rosa Security, but she was still undecided on her real goals.

A week after Lisa had left for Glynco and FLETC, on a Saturday morning, Tess was having her first coffee of the day. Eileen was still asleep after coming home from work at the Tulips at 2:30, and Tess had the kitchen to herself, when the land line phone rang. That was a rare occurrence, and Tess readied herself to tear into the expected telemarketer on the other end, but the voice sounded official.

“Ms. Teresa M. Di Rosa?”

“Speaking,” Tess answered guardedly.

“I am Supervisory Special Agent Tomlinson. I am in charge of our Glynco training facility. You applied for a spot with the Secret Service?”

“Yes, I did, Sir,” Tess answered seriously.

“Well, one of the Secret Service trainees washed out yesterday, a female, and we went through the list of female applicants. Your name popped up first. Could you be here by Sunday evening?”

Tess thought briefly. She would have to make a few urgent phone calls, but it was doable.

“Yes, Sir,” she answered. “How long would I be away, Sir? Just to arrange for somebody to look after the house?”

“The CITP takes 13 weeks, but you’ll be entering a week late. The SATC in Laurel is 18 weeks. Weekend leave will not be granted, except for family emergencies. You’re single?”

“Yes, Sir, and not looking.”

“Another thing, the woman you’ll replace could not cope with rooming with an openly homosexual trainee. Will that cause problems?”

“She was rooming with Lisa Miles?” Tess asked with a laugh.

“You know her?”

“She’s from Philly, too, Sir. I gave her self defense lessons. And no, no problems. I am cool with her.”

“Okay, try to arrive here by 3 p.m. on Sunday, so we can process you in. Any questions?”

“No, Sir. I’ll be there.”

“Well, have a good day,” Tomlinson ended the call. Tess’s “You, too, Sir” was already met by the call sign. Tess sat back on her chair.

“Well, fuck me!”

—————

“You what!” Joey’s voice came over the phone. “I thought you got accepted at Cornell. What got into you?”

“Cool your jets, Joey! There are several reasons, but the most important is that I don’t want to spend my life behind a desk. I know this is short notice, but somebody flunked, and I can get the slot immediately. You met Eileen. She’s going to be the caretaker while I’m gone, but it would be great if you and Deirdre could come maybe twice a month to check. Maureen and Numi will also help.”

“You are sure that’s what you want?”

“Nope, but it sounds exciting and something completely different from what everybody expects of me.”

“What does Uncle Vince say to this?”

“He told me it’s my choice to make. Felix is okay with it, too. I guess he sees me taking over DRS in a few years with what I’ll learn.”

“How long are you going to be away?”

“Seven months, give or take. Twelve weeks in Glynco, and then eighteen weeks in Laurel.”

“Oh, man, when you shake things up, you sure shake them up. Should we come down tonight?”

“Would you? I’d like that.”

“Naw, I was offering and hoping you’d brush me off. Duh!”

Tess had to smile. Of course, Joey would not miss the chance to see her before she disappeared for a half year and more.

“Let’s do it then. I’ll get Maureen and Numi to join us with Carla.”

Carla DiRosa was the daughter Joey and Maureen had conceived during the dark time after Deirdre had left Philadelphia and Joey, and she was a little sunshine. Tess would probably miss her the most.

“You do that. We can be there by four. That okay? You've got the time to cook?”

“Nope, but I’ll ring the Blue Grotto for pizza delivery.”

“Okay, Tess, see you later. I have to tell Deirdre. Bye!”

“Bye, Joey! Drive safely!”

—————

Much later, Tess would remember that evening as the end of her youth. The next time they would gather, Tess would be a LEO. Joey and Deirdre would also soon defend their dissertations, and they already had offers for their first post-doctoral jobs from the Sloan Kettering Institute in New York, allowing them at least monthly visits to see Maureen and Carla. With Tess gone, too, and not likely to get assigned to the Philadelphia office anytime soon, they would probably rent out the house at some point. Felix was now running a very complex business conglomerate, and his easygoing days were definitely over. Gabbie was head nurse and in charge of the ICU now and barely spent time with patients anymore. Numi was trying for the next career step at the PPD, aiming for a lieutenancy, and Maureen was now firmly embedded in the leadership of the firm and getting rich in the bargain.