BABY MAFIA

AN UNEXPECTED DEATH

A WEEK AFTER SIMON'S DEATH...

I stood behind the counter wiping beer glasses with a damp cloth, when our new boss passed by. When he saw me, he stopped dead in his tracks and walked back towards me.

"I see you kept your word about your punctuality." He said, sounding a bit surprised.

"Yes I did. I'm not one to lie to my boss." I replied.

"Well that's good. If you keep it up then you and I will have no problems."

"Will do Mr. Brusilov."

Good. Back to work now." He said before heading back to his office.

"What was that all about?" Nelly asked, popping out of nowhere and giving me a freight.

"Jeez Nelly! Could you stop sneaking up on me?!"

"Oh sorry. I didn't mean to freighten you. So... Answer the question."

"It was nothing, Nel. He was just telling me to keep up the good work."

"Oh okay. So do you want to hear what I heard about him?"

"Yeah, what is it?" I asked nonchalantly.

"So, word on the street is that our new boss is a former Mafia leader back in Russia. Apparently his got some bad blood with one of his Mafia members, because that member got him removed as leader and took his place. So Mr. Brusilov left Russia, came here and started his own mini Mafia group in the meantime. The only way for him to get his leadership back is by giving the new leader a young wife that is a direct descendant of him.(Brusilov) Now Brusilov is not married, but is looking for one special lady to give birth to his daughter so that he can be leader again. That's why he's here."

"Nelly that sounds absurd. I mean, Mafia members are like brothers, they wouldn't do that to each other. And as for the reason why his here, are you implying that Brusilov wants me to be that special lady?"

"Yeah. I mean, why else is he always looking at you with lustful eyes and only pretty much talks to you?"

"Nel he doesn't talk to me, he just breathes down my neck."

"Yeah, but still."

"Whatever Nel." I said, while rolling my eyes. "You've always been a sucker for rumour and gossip, but I'm not."

"Yeah, but..."

"Ladies, why are we just standing around? Ms. Trey, Ms. Newman have you forgotten that you have customers waiting to be served? Get back to work now!" Brusilov commanded, stopping our gossip session. Nelly went to leave, but Brusilov stopped her. "Oh Ms. Newman. I would like to see you in my office after your shift."

"Yes sir." Nelly nodded, then went back to her pole.

"Back to work Ms. Trey." Brusilov said again before going back to his office.

Nelly's shift ended thirty minutes before mine. Then I saw her go into Brusilov's office. Twenty minutes later she came rushing out of his office with tears trickling down her cheeks. She speed walked right past the bar counter and out the door. I wondered what was wrong with her and if Brusilov said or did something to her. I just hoped he didn't fire her.

When my shift ended I went straight home and phoned Nelly, but her phone kept on going to voice-mail. After a few more tries I decided to leave her a voice message:

Hey Nelly, it's me. I'm worried about you, girl. You left work in a hurry and didn't seem to be in the best of moods. Did Brusilov fire you or something? Anyways, please call me when you get this.

A week went by and I still hadn't heard from Nelly and I was starting to get really worried. So after my shift on Friday, I decided to go and check up on my best friend. When I got to her flat I knocked on the door and waited for her to open up, but she didn't. Then I remembered that she kept a spare key under the rug at the door. I fished it out and opened the door.

"Hello! Nelly are you home? It's me; Melany. I came to check up on you!" I yelled from the kitchen, but the entire flat was silent. I knew Nelly was home though, because she had a kettle boiling water on the stove. Seconds later the water in the kettle began to boil and the kettle whistled. I grabbed a damp cloth and quickly removed it from the stove and switched the stove off. I slowly walked out of the kitchen and made my way upstairs to Nelly's bedroom.

"Nelly I know you're home. I saw the kettle on the stove. You were going to make tea. Just come on out!" I said out loud. I slowly approached her bedroom and the door was closed. Just another indication that she was home. "I'm coming into your room Nel. I'm going to find you." I said just as I turned the knob and entered her bedroom.

A scream escaped my lips when I saw my best friend hanging by a rope from the ceiling. My friend Nelly committed suicide, but why? I immediately pulled out my phone from my pocket and and with tears in my eyes I dialled 911.

(911 what's your emergency?) The lady asked.

"My friend hung herself. She's dead."

(What's your location ma'am?)

"Corner Berry and Palm Bridge. Please come." I said while crying.

(Okay ma'am. Assistance is on its way.)

The ambulance and police arrived within minutes. The paramedics confirmed that Nelly was dead and they put her body in a silver body bag and wheeled it out in a stretcher. As I watched my best friend being placed in the back of the ambulance truck, Brusilov arrived on the scene with Digby. Brusilov came running towards me.

"Ms. Trey. Are you alright?" He asked.

"What did you do to her you dog? Ever since she spoke to you that night she has never been the same. Now she killed herself and it's because of you. What did you do to her?!" I yelled. I leaped on Brusilov and began punching him with my tiny fists.

"Hey, hey ma'am calm down!" An officer said, as he pulled me off of Brusilov.

"It's his fault she's dead. He killed her!!" I yelled and tried to leap on Brusilov again, but the officer pushed me behind him.

"And who are you?" He asked Brusilov.

"I am Konstantin Brusilov, officer. I am Ms. Newman's employer."

"It's good that you are here. I have some questions for the both of you, since you were the last persons she spoke to before she killed herself. I'll take you down to the station now." The officer put us in saparate police cars and we were driven to the police station.